Lost Within
by DeMoNtAiNtEd
Summary: READ PROFILE Kagome has lost herself within the metaphysical bonds that tie her soul to Sesshoumaru; she is becoming a danger, and Sesshoumaru is the only one fitting for the task. But when the beast of Ice feels the claws of love, can he handle it?
1. Chapters one to twelve

Lost Within  
  
Chapter 1: The Start of Lost  
  
'...No...' Kagome's mind managed to gasp; she couldn't believe it. She didn't want to be seeing this, to bare witness to it, she couldn't, she can't see this! 'Why did it happen? What happened? What did I do to cause this?' Kagome's mind cried to herself as tears and heart wracking sobs caught her throat.  
  
Her blue-green eyes were glassy with new tears, her face already streaked with them.  
  
Too afraid to move, too afraid to speak, too afraid to think, Kagome stood in silent sorrow and horror as Inuyasha did and said the unthinkable to the one person Kagome hated more than anything.  
  
Inuyasha stood before Kikyo, his golden eyes reflecting love from a past, a past he would not release from his grasp. He held Kikyo to him lovingly, kissing the side of her neck in adoration of love. "I love you Kikyo, now and forever." Inuyasha whispered into her ears.  
  
"Nothing can ever replace you, nothing."  
  
Kagome crumpled to the floor, her eyes blurred with tears, through the blurry daze she could see a red and white form moving together...Sounds of love reached Kagome's ears, but they were not meant for her. Her heart clenched as she was forced to hear the sounds of moans, gasps, and declarations of undying love.  
  
Releasing a strangled sob Kagome clutched the tall pine tree next to her, digging her human nails into the bark, forcing herself to stand on numb legs. Her heart was cold, she could feel nothing, see nothing, and could not bear to hear the sounds coming from the one she loved most, and the one she hated most.  
  
She walked on wobbly feet and unsteady legs, her fingers bloodied, she vaguely remembered having small, sharp pain sensations as she heard the audible snaps of her fingernails breaking. Kagome didn't care as she continued to stumble through the forest, blind to everything around her.  
  
Kagome tripped more than once, crying out in pain as she twisted her ankle on a root. Forcing herself to stand on her quickly swelling and throbbing twisted ankle she tumbled a few more feet, before loosing her balance, tripping over a fallen tree. She fell down the other side, rolling down the side of a small but steep hill in a tangle of limbs.  
  
The rip of cloth could be heard through out the forest, but it came from Kagome's school uniform. Her ankle throbbed with pain; her fingers were numb with it. Her eyes hurt, but nothing was as bad as the ache in her heart, it felt as if she were dieing inside, and Kagome was unable to stop it. She wondered vaguely if she even wanted to.  
  
She collided against a solid object, falling backwards; she struck her head on a sharp rock. The enveloping darkness had become a newfound comfort to Kagome as she gave herself to it; hoping to die. At least that way, the rest of her soul would go to Kikyo; she'd be with Inuyasha...in some sense.  
  
Golden eyes stared at the unconscious miko; his curiosity was mild, if at all non-existent. He noted her torn garments, bloodied body, and several injuries. With a graceful shrug of indifference he turned and began to leave, he stopped, a small amount of surprise registered in his liquid gold orbs; he turned and faced his servant. A delicate eyebrow arched in question.  
  
Yellow snake eyes studied the girl with dislike, and yet something kept his attention. He didn't want the girl to die; he didn't want her near him. Make no mistake he hated humans intensely, but this miko...Inuyasha's wench...she was different.  
  
Jaken himself was ever loyal and truthful to his master, but he only told his master what he needed to hear at the right times. For he was not as submissive and witless as he made himself to be, oh Jaken was weak surely, but what no one knew was that Jaken was clairvoyant, not even Sesshoumaru- sama knew that.  
  
He permitted himself a sigh, he'd seen a great many a thing involving his master and this lowly human. If he did not do what he needed to do right this second, the fates would have his hide. 'Curse all the fates and all seven realms!' Jaken squawked to himself as he bustled over to the little wench whose destiny was by far greater than a simple shard-detector.  
  
"Master...if I may..." Jaken began, stuttering as he twittled his thumbs, "I have served you for many a decade without pay in exchange for one favor as had been agreed when I had begun serving you..." He trailed off, inhaling deeply.  
  
"Yes, I am aware of that Jaken, what is your favor to ask of me?" Sesshoumaru demanded. Though he sounded angry, he was, but he was quite curious, Jaken never cared for the life of a human.  
  
"My favor that I Jaken am asking of you is to allow this human wench to be bound to you psychically and in a physical sense, the terms that I press upon you are that you must keep her alive and protected," He paused as he caught the obvious look of shock on his masters features, "She is to be within ten feet of you at all times through the physical bond or otherwise you will befall grave ill," Jaken noted the look of anger flooding his lords face, he needed to speed up and quickly finish this and say the ending words or he could revoke the favor and kill him,  
  
"and that you will never pose threat to her life, so the favor is said, so- it-is-done! SoulandBodyBeBound!" Jaken finished quickly.  
  
He sighed deeply as he finished it, oh his master would lash and beat him good but now the fates couldn't touch him, he'd done his part after all. At that Jaken glared at three bright, twinkling stars.  
  
"Jaken..." -.-*  
  
Immediately Jaken dashed exactly eleven feet away from the unconscious miko that would cause him no end of trouble. He heard the whistle of air as Sesshoumaru ran after him.  
  
Immediately setting foot out of the ten-foot radius Sesshoumaru was ripped from the ground and thrown bodily towards the direction of Kagome. Jaken hid a small smirk, his days as a servant would certainly liven up more, and Rin would get off his back and be more entertained by Kagome.  
  
"JAKEN!?" Sesshoumaru howled to the full moon in the starry sky.  
  
Coughing once Jaken clutched his staff, to keep himself from trembling, "Y- Yes...M-Master...?" he trailed off.  
  
He could feel the very intense waves of anger radiate from his master as Sesshoumaru slowly picked himself off the ground, turning to face his "faithful" servant. Taking slow, even steps; the demon lord of the western lands stopped a foot from Jaken, outstretching his clawed hand until he came across the barrier. He ran a single claw along the invisible wall silently; then slammed his fist into the surface.  
  
"What." Sesshoumaru breathed calmly, "Have. You. Done?" He punctuated each word with a ghost of a growl.  
  
"I-I...Forgive me master!!!! I...I knew not what I was thinking!" Jaken broke down into sobs, "Beat me, whip me, Lowly Jaken deserves such treatment!" He finished in a wail as he threw himself into the barrier, allowing his master to reach him.  
  
Sesshoumaru clutched Jaken by the throat as he glared furiously into the little toad's eyes. He squeezed the lesser youkai's neck slowly, painfully, savoring each little gasp of pain Jaken emitted. No smile of pleasure broke his pale lips as Sesshoumaru continued to glare promises of a slow death at the lowly youkai he'd so foolishly believed had been loyal.  
  
Jaken's vision was darkening into nothingness; he could feel death knocking at the door to his heart that pumped slower with each second. Thinking the end of his life was but seconds away.  
  
Kagome awoke to thousands of nerves screaming in pain; she bit down on her lip to prevent her scream. Her ankle hurt as if a youkai had been knawing on it while her hands were numb, but the tips of her fingers sizzled with white-hot pain. Tears of pain and sorrow started anew on her dirt smudged face.  
  
She heard a few words spoken from somewhere ahead of her, she couldn't make out the meanings, but the tone was cold, cruel, and hauntingly beautiful; and Kagome could think of only one person who could sound like that.  
  
Dreading the worst she twisted her head to see the deadly lord of the western lands, Sesshoumaru. Her body constricted, pain lanced through her body like an arrow shot from a bow. She had to get away from him, needed to live.  
  
No matter how badly she wanted to die, to be with Inuyasha in any way she could, Kagome could not be so unfair and selfish to those that have come to depend on her, mainly Shippou. The little kit needed her, and after a time Kagome had grown to need him. She couldn't let herself be killed and leave Shippou orphaned a second time.  
  
Using her one soul reason to continue living Kagome grabbed the frazzled chunks of green eelgrass, fighting the pain that streaked down her frayed nerves. She pulled herself across the wet leaves and grass, using her uninjured foot to help push herself along.  
  
Sesshoumaru was denied the pleasure of killing Jaken when he was once again thrown backwards towards Kagome like a rag doll. He landed flat on his back next to the struggling Kagome. It was then that he noticed she had arisen from her unconscious state; maybe her 'miko powers' could undo this blasted 'favor'.  
  
Standing up with astounding speed he grabbed Kagome by the neck and jerked her to her feet; squeezing her neck painfully so, causing her to become short of breath.  
  
He felt an invisible handclasp around his own neck, squeezing a thousand times harder than he was to Kagome, enough to make the youkai lord choke and gasp for breath. Sesshoumaru lessened the pressure on her neck so that she could once again breathe easily. The hand around his own neck did the same, he frowned and released the wench, she fell to the ground in a heap.  
  
"Why don't you explain to her what has happened, Jaken." Sesshoumaru said slowly, directing his murderous gaze towards the recovering youkai.  
  
Jaken shakily made his way over to the dirty, smelly human mate of Inuyasha and cleared his voice, "You are now permanently bound to the great lord Sesshoumaru..." Jaken said, noting the look of fear in Kagome's eyes. But being who he is, he didn't notice the fear being stomped on by blind anger...  
  
(oh-hoo-hoo! ^__^)  
  
"What?!" Kagome screamed through dry lips as she glared at Jaken.  
  
Both youkai's flinched at the shrill sound as it pierced there over sensitive ears, threatening to deafen them.  
  
'This can't be possible! Even grandpa had no myths or legends of such a thing happening! I can't be stuck with him! He'll kill me, and what about Shippou?!' Kagome's mind raced franticly, she racked her brain for any possible solution to this...this...whatever THIS was!  
  
"How did this happen?" Kagome demanded as she managed to push herself into a sitting position, all tears and thoughts of sorrow pushed to the far back of her mind, for more pressing matters were at hand.  
  
Jaken suddenly became unusually interested at the eelgrass in front of his feet...  
  
"Well?!" Kagome snapped, pain, panic, and her frayed nerves making her half hysterical, (If not entirely...)  
  
"Calm down brat," Sesshoumaru growled impatiently, the huge waves of petty emotions flooding his body and mind; it was making him queasy...he would have snorted to himself in disbelief but his 'lordliness' kept him from doing so.  
  
"It was his payment for serving me for so many decades." He said calmly, having regained his impassive, aloofness once again.  
  
'...Payment?...Is that what I am? Merely a stupid thing for someone to use me for there sadistic ways then cast me aside like a broken toy???' Kagome thought, her memories of earlier over-riding her senses, mixing reality with memory. 'Am I to be used as some sort of pawn for another man's purposes?!' She screamed at herself.  
  
She thought she saw Inuyasha and...and...and HER embracing on the grass beside Sesshoumaru...but that's impossible...Kagome rubbed her eyes, only blurring her vision more as fresh tears welled up, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were both glaring down at her hatefully, for her being so weak, so pathetic...so godamned weak!  
  
Tears flooded her eyes, her senses and memories confused with past and present, Kagome tried to shake her head free of the swirling turmoil as she relieved her more sad memories with Inuyasha. She shook her head, balled up her fists as she clenched her jaw tightly.  
  
The visions increased, hurting her mind, hurting her heart; Kagome screamed in pain as blackness engulfed her.  
  
Sesshoumaru took a reflexive step back as he clutched his head in pain. He was unsure what happened; he had entered her mind, to see what recent memories if Inuyasha had been stored in her mind so he could find out what his stupid hanyou brother had done this time...*ahem* he meant to find ways of stealing the tetsusaiga of course... *nods* -.-  
  
He had made sure not to have her aware of his presence, but something went wrong, for she confused reality and memory. Overloading her weak mind and his complex one with thousands of emotions he'd never thought a human capable of experiencing, let alone comprehending them.  
  
Massaging his temples tenderly he cracked a golden eye open and fixed it on the unconscious wench named Kagome. He shook his head slightly, what a sick bastard Inuyasha had been to rut with a pile of dirt and ashes, right in front of his own lady no less! Hadn't InuTuiasha taught him better than that?  
  
His lip curled into a sneer of disgusted revulsion; dropping his hand from his face he turned to the groveling Jaken, "We'd better seek shelter at my castle, before the fool-hardy half brother of mine finds sense enough to detect my presence."  
  
"Y-Yes Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken said, glancing at his lord briefly he then pinned his gaze onto his two headed staff, "Rin will be most pleased to learn of her lords return as well as a human FEMALE companion for her entertainment." Jaken finished, a slight emphasis on 'female', trying to soften his lord's and his own newfound burden.  
  
Sesshoumaru's face softened the slightest bit at the mention of Rin; Jaken was right, even if he didn't want to admit it, for Rin needed a female playmate.  
  
Without giving a second glance to the (again) unconscious miko he grabbed her around the waist and jumped into the air gracefully (Not any other way for Sess-chan....), *unintentionally* leaving behind the still groveling Jaken.  
  
Sunshine glittered through the large stain glass window; it's shimmering colors rousing Kagome from the darkness of sleep. Her mind and a few stray thoughts pulled together slowly, forming only the barest things with her eyes still closed,  
  
'mmm...soft...' she thought, rolling onto her side, pulling the soft down comforter closer to herself, relishing the softness of it. Her blankets were never this...soft. She frowned to herself, her eyes still closed; she'd had the most horrible nightmare last night...that Inuyasha and Kikyo had...had...she couldn't even bring herself to say it, and then she'd seen Sesshoumaru...and Jaken...he had a favor? She had been bound to...  
  
"Get up wench, I am sick of being in this room." a cold voice pierced through her thoughts, echoing into the farthest corners of her mind.  
  
'No, no, no, no, NO!' Kagome's mind screamed as she clutched the blankets closer to herself, 'It was just a nightmare...just a horrible, horrible, horrible nightmare!'  
  
"For the last time, GET UP." The voice said firmly, the coldness seeping into her skin, making her shiver.  
  
Opening her bright blue-green eyes, Kagome lifted her head from the blankets. Her eye's met with liquid golden ones that eyed her with little to no expression at all except mild impatience.  
  
Without warning Sesshoumaru stood abruptly and grabbed the human's wrist and threw her out the door carelessly, not wanting to be in the stupid room that now reeked of the bitch's scent. He allowed himself a small smile of pleasure as she cried out in pain when her body collided with the stonewall in the hallway of his castle.  
  
But the smile didn't last, as Sesshoumaru was pulled bodily from the room to crash into the same wall, falling onto the miko. She shrieked something that made his ears shrivel in pain; he covered his poor ears with his hands and pulled himself away from the screaming wench.  
  
"SILENCE!" He shouted angrily.  
  
Kagome fell silent at the demon lord's command, she stared up at him wordlessly, 'if it wasn't a nightmare...then...then...', her eyes grew glassy with unshed tears as she stared at her hands...her hands! They were healed? 'But how?' she wondered, her depression over her lost love stolen by sheer wonder and curiosity.  
  
He watched the miko with mild interest as she studied herself, noting that her limbs and weak skin had been completely healed. He, Sesshoumaru himself had been surprised that she'd healed herself in her sleep. 'Her miko powers no doubt,' he remarked nonchalantly.  
  
Sesshoumaru had a bit of time to think on his new burden he now carried, even more of a concern since the miko could not be more than ten feet from himself or he would be thrown into the direction of her...again. A ghost of a sigh escaped his lips as he raised his right arm and massaged his temples delicately, a headache already forming.  
  
She would get in the way if he fought, she'd get in the way when it was time to take on a mate to sire pups, 'oh gods!' he thought as his eyes snapped open, she'd have to be in the room while he procreated! Ugh! She'd be in the way everywhere he went, she'd be in the way indefinitely!  
  
He growled unconsciously; becoming blind to his surroundings as more visions of the human wench's presence accompanying him wherever he went.  
  
The soft, quick padding of feet caught his attention, shaking his head he saw Kagome running down the hallway, trying to get away from him, his eyes widened, "STOP NOW OR I'LL-"  
  
His words were cut off in a grunt of pain as he crashed in front of Kagome's feet, he groaned. This really was getting irritating.  
  
Kagome's eyes were wide with shock, this was the second time that Sesshoumaru had been thrown in her direction. What was causing this sort of thing to happen. She took a few steps back as Sesshoumaru stood before her, a scowl on his face.  
  
"Don't. Move." Sesshoumaru growled as he grabbed her wrist, squeezing it painfully until he heard a bone snap.  
  
Kagome cried in pain, but she realized she hadn't been the only one to do so. Through tears of pain she saw Sesshoumaru staring at his crushed, bloody looking wrist; he brought it to his mouth and licked the blood away.  
  
"How'd that-" Kagome started, the pain in her wrist now a dull throb.  
  
"If you are injured," Sesshoumaru spoke through clenched teeth, "Then I am as well."  
  
"Oh..." Kagome trailed off as she cradled her wrist, if he got hurt when she did, then he could not kill her without killing himself.  
  
It was a small consolation that comforted Kagome only slightly as Sesshoumaru started walking down the opposite hall, he stopped a few feet away, "My patience is thin, do you want your stupid wrist healed or not?" he snapped at Kagome.  
  
Quickly scurrying up to the angry lord she followed him down various winding hallways until he stopped in front of a closed door. He stood motionless off to the side of it.  
  
"Well?" He snapped.  
  
"Oh! Gomen!" Kagome gasped as she realized the obvious and opened the door with her uninjured hand, standing off to the side as Sesshoumaru moved past her.  
  
Kagome followed wordlessly as he stopped in front of a large water basin filled with a red liquid which she hoped was not what she thought it was. She watched as Sesshoumaru placed his bloodied hand into the basin, and then wait.  
  
After about a minute or two he brought his hand out of the red liquid substance and grabbed a makeshift wash cloth; drying his hand of the mysterious liquid. His pale, striped hand had been fully healed; her eyes widened in disbelief.  
  
"What is that stuff? How did it heal your hand?" Kagome asked.  
  
As if ignoring her questions he grabbed her arm and plunged her broken wrist into the water basin, "Hold it there." He ordered.  
  
"It is eradica inju," He spoke flatly after a few moments, "It heals injuries."  
  
"Where did you get it?" She asked, a small amount of awe in her voice.  
  
"A family heirloom from past generations of my bloodline." Sesshoumaru said stiffly, a clear warning not to question any further.  
  
He motioned for Kagome to pull her wrist from the basin.  
  
Kagome nodded slightly as she pulled her hand out, marveling briefly on her newly healed wrist. Even the marvels of Sesshoumaru's family heirlooms didn't hold her oncoming thoughts out of her head as a wave of concern swept over her, 'Shippou...' she trailed off, she couldn't abandon the little kitsune, even if Inuyasha had...betrayed her.  
  
Her eyes seemed to cloud over briefly, wallowing in self-pity at the thought of Inuyasha...but the fog of depression had been batted away as her green-blue eyes cleared with determination as she clutched her healed wrist. She had to get Shippou, no matter the cost. Even if she had to go through Sesshoumaru himself!  
  
'Waaait...' Kagome's mind thought as a grin broke her lips, HE didn't have a choice in the matter, if he tried to hurt her, he would only be hurting himself, and every time she walked a certain distance away from him he would be thrown at her feet. He would have to come, he would be her protection. 'Hey, this "bond" thing might not be so bad after all...' She smirked to herself as she locked eyes with Sesshoumaru.  
  
He DID NOT like that look on her face, not only did it not suite her unique purity and innocence as a powerful miko...it was downright creepy! His eyebrow arched in question.  
  
"We're going to Inuyasha's forest to pick up Shippou." Kagome stated flatly as she exited the room at a brisk walk, if she was right, she could get out of his range so that he would be thrown at her feet.  
  
His strangled yelp proved her theory correct as he fell into a heap at her bare feet, "Hurry up Sesshou, I need to get back so I can change into more decent clothes, my school uniform is all torn up." Kagome stated.  
  
'Jaken will die.' Sesshoumaru thought as he flew through the air, carrying the miko bitch that now had the upper hand in this...this...whatever the hell it was. InuYasha's Forest was already in sight and growing larger by the second as they drew closer to it.  
  
He could already sense his pitiful excuse of a half brother and the disgusting gods awful smell of the dead miko called Kikyo. He landed in a small clearing by bone eater's well and promptly dropped the wench on her rump.  
  
"Ow! What was that for?" Kagome demanded as she rubbed her backside tenderly.  
  
"You were getting heavy." He stated flippantly.  
  
"WHAT?!" Kagome shrieked, making the demon lord wince, "I DO NOT WEIGH THAT MUCH!" Kagome yelled at the taiyoukai as she glared at him indignantly.  
  
"Kagome!" Shippou yelled happily as he raced towards his recently acquired 'step mom'.  
  
"Shippou! It's so good to see you!" Kagome smiled happily as she hugged the kitsune.  
  
"Where did you go? You disappeared yesterday night and I was worried you left me!" He cried aloud into Kagome's torn shirt, clutching the material.  
  
"I wouldn't leave you Shippou! I'd never do such a thing like that!" Kagome consoled the crying little fox cub, stroking his unruly brownish-red hair affectionately.  
  
"SESSHOUMARU!" Inuyasha yelled furiously, drawing the tetsusaiga and rushing towards his half brother.  
  
Kagome didn't even have time to form the word to subdue Inuyasha as she watched in horror the large fang rush down upon Sesshoumaru's head.  
  
With a blur of speed he held the rusty blade of the tetsusaiga in his right hand, glaring at his brother coldly. He was little surprised to see the fang in its protective form; for if the fang had indeed sliced into his skin then it would harm Kagome, apparently the tetsusaiga could sense that.  
  
"What? What's wrong with this stupid thing?!" Inuyasha growled helplessly as he swung the blade up and down, trying to bring its true form forth.  
  
"Where have you been Kagome?" Inuyasha asked worriedly after he'd given up on his sword, placing it in its proper sheath.  
  
Kagome froze as she met Inuyasha's eyes; they were a lot like Sesshoumaru's, Kagome thought absently. Her eye's saddened as she remembered what she'd seen and heard the night her life had changed so drastically.  
  
Tears threatened to spill forth but she bit her lip to prevent the oncoming sobs, she would not cry, not in front of Inuyasha. it would be pointless, he loved...Kikyo and not her, the mere imitation of Kikyo; 'Besides,' Kagome reasoned with herself snidely, 'Inuyasha is on the dense side of things when it comes to matters of the heart,'  
  
Sesshoumaru licked his lower lip, it had begun to bleed. His golden eyes studied Kagome and saw the small trickle of blood as she bit her lip, he noticed her glassy eyes. Apparently the wench was trying to hold back her tears, 'So she has a little pride and a spine in her after all.' he thought as he continued to watch the miko wordlessly.  
  
"We should go now wench, before I lose my patience with the lowly hanyou." Sesshoumaru spoke coldly.  
  
He was very well aware of the fact that he was saving the human from more emotional turmoil by saying that, but he couldn't help but feel respect for her. She was standing on her own two feet and controlling her tears of sorrow and betrayal while holding her head up high. And that, no matter the species, had to be respected on some level.  
  
"I need to get my bag, then we can leave." Kagome said as she gazed at Sesshoumaru, her eyes shining with thanks.  
  
Sesshoumaru gave an imperceptible nod of 'your welcome' as he turned towards the direction of the village.  
  
"WHAT?!" Inuyasha roared in disbelief, "Kagome?! What is going on?! What is he Sesshoumaru talking about? Has he been-"  
  
"Inuyasha?" Kagome said, cutting him off mid-sentence.  
  
"WHAT?!" He all but screamed as he turned wild eyes onto Kagome.  
  
"SIT." Kagome said in a clipped tone.  
  
Inuyasha was slammed into the floor, "Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! SIT!" Kagome said again, several times.  
  
Inuyasha groaned in pain as he muttered a few curses.  
  
Sesshoumaru smiled sadistically at the sight Inuyasha made, turning his back on the groaning half demon he followed the stiff-backed figure of Kagome; and he knew then that she was fighting back tears, and would continue to fight them until they finally overwhelmed her. He sighed; Jaken was going to suffer for this.  
  
"Hey Kagome! Where Have you been? We've missed you!" Miroku said as he threw his arms around Kagome, hugging her, "I've missed you..." He murmured to the stunned Kagome as his hand slid down her back, squeezing Kagome through her torn uniform...-.-***  
  
"DIRTY LECH!!" Kagome and Sango both screamed.  
  
Sango clobbered the priest/monk with her large boomerang while Kagome slapped Miroku across the face, twice.  
  
Sesshoumaru's lip curled into a sneer, both girls were viciously attacking their already unconscious monk while screaming insanely, berating the disgusting fellow. He rolled his eyes when Shippou bounded in to separate the girls from the possibly dead monk; he only got himself further into the mess and fighting them.  
  
Then an old woman with a patch over her eye got close enough to the group of struggling flesh and tried to separate them as well; getting her hand smacked away several times she gave up and started verbally berating them. Of course they couldn't hear her anyway...  
  
Then INUYASHA came limping towards the clearing only to get struck in the head with Sango's large boomerang as it made it's return to it's owner; whom was currently dashing around Kagome trying to catch Shippou. Inuyasha howled in pain, baring his claws, having forgotten the great demon lord's existence, charged straight towards the group of jabbering females. Chaos ensued.  
  
Sesshoumaru was noticeably disturbed. THIS was the group that managed to foil his plans to steal the tetsusaiga??? -.-;;;;  
  
"ENOUGH!" Sesshoumaru roared above all the squabbling and fighting, everything froze in place; even the little birds in there tree's fell quite.  
  
"Get your things so I may leave this wretched village. NOW." Sesshoumaru said tightly, a growl escaping the thin line his lips had become.  
  
Kagome stood up slowly, motioned for Shippou to follow and headed towards Kaede's hut. Sesshoumaru was careful to keep within the bounds, not wanting to appear any less superior to the weaklings around him.  
  
Inuyasha's eyebrow arched, was he imagining things or was his half-brother acting strange, he was following Kagome pretty closely. He cocked his head to the side, wondering. 'No...' he thought absently, 'THAT couldn't be it...he wouldn't be mating with her, being that she's a human and all...' he added, 'Besides, I would have smelled it.'  
  
Shrugging off the uncharacteristic behavior of his older brother he rubbed the bump on his head, growling softly at Sango. 'Wait!' He thought, bolting to his feet, 'Why is Kagome leaving anyway? She still has to help find my shikon shards!' Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, deep in thought, 'SHE couldn't possibly smell her on me,' he paused, throwing a glance at the hut, 'I practically rubbed my skin off trying to get rid of the smell, and now I can barely smell it at all.'  
  
He scratched his chin, Kagome wouldn't voluntarily leave him, 'Well there was that one time...' Inuyasha's mind trailed off, he brushed it away and stared at the hut, wishing to have the ability to see into it. 'Could Kagome have...?' He snorted as he shook his head once, 'No...couldn't have...or could she have seen...?'  
  
Inuyasha shuddered, he really hoped she hadn't.  
  
"Kagome! You can't go!" Inuyasha shouted as he stalked up to her, glaring down at her green-blue eyes now alight with fire.  
  
"Well I am and that's final!" Kagome yelled back, all but spitting the words in his face.  
  
"No you won't! Even if I have to tie you up and put scrolls on the old lady's hut! You're not going! So forget it!" He bit back angrily, taking a step closer.  
  
"I AM GOING!" Kagome screamed back at him.  
  
Inuyasha gripped Kagome's right arm and squeezed it roughly, not really thinking about it as he glared at her, "No you're not! You're going to stay here and help me find the rest of the shikon shards! It was your fault that the tama shattered after all!" He yelled back, his claws digging into her skin.  
  
Sesshoumaru growled lightly, his right arm had begun to bleed; it stung painfully; burning its anger down into his bones.  
  
Strangely, Kagome didn't feel the pain it should have caused, just a slight pain, like a paper cut. She glared at the offending claws that were embedded in her skin; a growl emerged from her throat as she pulled back her left hand. She let it sail through the air in a blurry arc of pale peach, the sound of sliced flesh was heard.  
  
Inuyasha reeled back in pain, his hand releasing Kagome, bringing it to clasp his bloodied cheek. He wiped the blood away and stared at Kagome in shock.  
  
Four bleeding cuts graced Inuyasha's cheek; Kagome looked at her hand, she looked at her nails, delicate, feminine claws were where her human nails should have been. She began to shake from the mere thought of what could be happening. Shaking her head she rubbed her eyes then looked at her hands again, there were human nails. 'I must have imagined it...' Kagome trailed off.  
  
"We're leaving." Sesshoumaru stated flatly, turning his back on Inuyasha.  
  
"...Kagome." Sesshoumaru said coldly, his patience was wearing thin but the many visions of himself being thrown around kept his feet bolted to the ground.  
  
Shaking herself once more she turned to the unconscious monk and Sango, "I'll be living in the palace with Sesshoumaru-sama until we can figure certain things out, I'll come visit you every once in a while Sango," Kagome said to the solemn demon exterminator.  
  
She had a feeling she shouldn't ask why, even though her curiosity was nipping at her heels, Sango remained silent. She nodded her head in acceptance.  
  
Kagome smiled briefly then opened her arms to embrace her, they hugged briefly, drawing away from each other somewhat reluctantly, she then turned to Shippou and opened her arms; at which he promptly lunged into them, smiling contentedly.  
  
Finally she turned to Inuyasha, her eyes a little shinier than norm, her face calm and collected, "I wish you well on your shard hunting Inuyasha," She paused, "I'm still going to carry on with my responsibility, just not with you."  
  
Turning away she turned her head up and strode over to Sesshoumaru's side, she turned her head towards the gaping Inuyasha, "I hope Kikyo will be able to satisfy you Inuyasha," She paused, fighting the wave of tears that threatened to spill, "For it seems I had not been worthy enough for your love and affection that you so readily give to a soul stealer." She finished.  
  
Inuyasha's mouth was wide, he felt like he couldn't breathe, 'She...she HAD seen us...' was his only thought that played like a broken record in his brain. Repeating over and over in his mind, making it difficult to think of anything else except complete shame.  
  
Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly, he was going to get his kimono wet, but it would be worth the look of utter rage on his half-brother's face when he carried Kagome away from him. He bent over Kagome slightly, picking her up with graceful ease, he was surprised at how light she was...and how soft. 'Ohhhh no....not even going to think about it...' He growled to himself as Kagome snuggled into his right shoulder, wrapping one arm around his neck for extra support. She held the sleeping kitsune against her soft...'NO!' Sesshoumaru cut himself off with a mental slap to his face as he focused his attention on the large bag of Kagome's.  
  
His large, fluffy tail uncoiled from his shoulder and wrapped around the bag, picking it off the ground with ease. Sesshoumaru then turned to the still gawking Inuyasha, he allowed a small smirk on his lips then.  
  
"Goodbye dear brother of mine." Sesshoumaru said as he flew into the air, the howling rage of Inuyasha sounded like blissful music to his sensitive ears.  
  
But even through the raging pipes of Inuyasha he still heard the muffled cries of the little miko. He sighed in exasperation, if he had his other arm he'd have cast a small sleeping spell to put her out of her melodramatic problems for a few months. He settled for reaching out a small snake-like tendril psychic thread into her mind, pressing the need for sleep upon her mind.  
  
Her tears stopped as her arm slackened its hold on his neck. She fell into a comforting sleep in his arm.  
  
Sesshoumaru landed easily upon the balcony connected to his bedroom. At least Jaken had done one thing right, this...psychic bond allowed him to enter Kagome's mind to change her state of consciousness if she annoyed him. He dropped the large backpack by the balcony doors and summoned Jaken.  
  
"...Yes Sesshoumaru-sama, what is it you wish of me?" Jaken asked, bowing unusually low.  
  
"Take the kitsune to the nursery and leave him there to wake along with his things." Sesshoumaru stated as he placed the quickly awakening Kagome on her feet.  
  
"Yes Sesshoumaru-sama." Jaken answered blankly as he took the sleeping Shippou from Kagome's arms.  
  
Another youkai appeared, bowing respectfully to his master, "Yes Sesshoumaru-sama?" He asked softly.  
  
"Prepare a room for Kagome," Sesshoumaru ordered. The demon bowed out and set out on his task.  
  
Kagome went to quickly follow the demon. She stopped when she heard something crash with an undignified grunt of pain. Turning around she saw a slightly frumpled Sesshoumaru stand up and dust himself off with a breath of a curse on his lips.  
  
"Sorry, I...forgot." Kagome admitted, looking like a child properly scolded.  
  
He brushed the apology aside carelessly. Sesshoumaru lifted his hand up to his temples as he began to pace. She couldn't go further than ten feet. . .no farther than that. . .ever. This only meant. . .'Well that's not entirely so bad...' half of him thought with a ghost of a smile.  
  
Kagome yawned.  
  
Better inform the little miko and prepare to cover his ears. He groaned inwardly as he caught the green-blue gaze that belonged to Kagome.  
  
"Where will I sleep?" Kagome asked between yawns.  
  
"In my bed." Sesshoumaru answered simply, indicating the large four-poster bed behind him.  
  
"WHAT?! NO WAY!!" Kagome screeched at the top of her lungs, practically shaking the entire castle down to its foundation.  
  
"Listen you little wench!" Sesshoumaru snapped, his anger lashing out briefly before he pounced on it, his face becoming emotionless once again, "I've no interest in your inadequate body, let alone even allow a human to enter the sanctity of my room," He paused to inhale a small breath to calm himself, "Do not make this even more difficult."  
  
"Then if your room is so 'holy and sacred' why don't I sleep in a guest room!" Kagome snapped back, folding her arms across her chest.  
  
Kagome was fighting a triple yawn and keeping her eyes open at the same time, she figured if she kept yelling at him she'd fall asleep right on her own two feet. Not a good picture to present to Sesshoumaru who already thought she was weak and as he so nicely put it, 'inadequate'.  
  
"Simple ningen, my room is the best, and I will not lower myself to sleep anywhere else than my own bed." He growled.  
  
"Now get into bed before you fall asleep where you stand." He added pointedly.  
  
Kagome quickly slipped her shoes and socks off, curling herself up on the farthest side opposite of Sesshoumaru. Wrapping her arms around herself, her back to him.  
  
Ignoring the miko he began to shed his armor. He growled in frustration, a single strap was refusing to untie, he had not had this problem before and had often been able to untie it with just his hand. But it seems he could not without help. Otherwise it would be another night in his armor which did not sound comfortable.  
  
"Get over here now Kagome." Sesshoumaru snapped as he took a few steps towards her.  
  
She turned large, slightly frightened eyes up to him, "What?"  
  
He motioned to the single tie that was the cause of his discomfort, he made a small grunting noise as he glued his eyes to a point on the wall.  
  
Kagome's eyes widened briefly in surprise, a blush then graced her cheeks, apparently the great Sesshoumaru-sama was having trouble with his own armor! Stifling a giggle she crawled across the spacious bed and outstretched her lithe fingers and fiddled with the knot.  
  
In a matter of moments Kagome's hands dropped to her sides, the knot; no longer. She smiled up at the suddenly fidgeting Sesshoumaru, 'Maybe he's feeling a little ill?' Kagome thought questioningly as she watched Sesshoumaru quickly turn around and place his armor off to the side of his bed.  
  
Regaining his self-control he then untied his sash and let his silken kimono fall to the floor.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Kagome's all too familiar screech said, "PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON RIGHT NOW!!" She screeched, scrambling backwards on the bed and tugging the blankets around her body.  
  
Opening his eyes and dropping his hand from his throbbing ears he glared at Kagome then slid between the blankets, his back to her, "Got to sleep." His cold voice echoed through her head.  
  
Not any less reassured then she had been earlier she settled herself down onto the bed, turning her back towards him. Kagome fell asleep the instant her eyes had closed.  
  
Jaken closed the door quietly, mumbling to himself as he cursed the three hags that tormented his soul. This was going to be a much harder task than any he'd had before. I mean getting Rin set up with his master had been easier than what they'd asked of him this time!  
  
Still muttering to himself he turned down the corridor and tottered away.  
  
Sesshoumaru was dimly aware of morning, he refused to get up as his arm tightened around his pillow, had the seamstresses given him a new bigger pillow last night whilst he slept? This one was much more comfortable then the previous ones.  
  
He nuzzled closer to the strangely shaped pillow and inhaled deeply, falling back into the depths of sleep.  
  
Kagome's muffled groan reached her ears as she lifted her head, already seeing stray wisps of sunlight shimmer through the thick, velvet drapes. Her eyesight still blurry she raised a loosely balled fist and rubbed her eyes while yawning.  
  
"Souta? Has school started already?" She called through the darkness of the expansive room.  
  
Nothing but her own faint echo answered her call. She cocked her head to the side, trying to recall just exactly where she was. Her memory came back in tumbling tidbits of memory, some long flashes, others rolling streams of brief, momentary sights. Then like an arrow set free from a bow one crucial bit stabbed her mind.  
  
Kagome's eyes widened as she noticed the very nice looking arm with familiar stripes near the wrist, a very MALE arm with dainty claws. It tightened around her waist instinctively, Kagome stiffened, biting her lip she slowly turned her face to look at the figure behind her.  
  
Silver white hair sparkled like diamonds in the small strips of sunlight, two red stripes on either side of his face, a blue crescent moon on the center of his forehead. The cool, passive, relaxed expression of Sesshoumaru just happened to be the one spooned next to her, clutching her like a favorite teddy bear...  
  
She studied his peaceful face briefly, before the situation stole over her. Her eyes widened once again,  
  
"HENTAI!!!!" Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs as she shoved Sesshoumaru from the bed, gathering the sheets about her.  
  
Sesshoumaru awoke with an unpleasant pain ringing in his ears while his bare rump connected with the cold floor, a vicious growl ripped from his throat as he sprang to his feet, glaring offensively at the human bitch.  
  
"YOU SICK HENTAI YOUKAI!!" Kagome screamed again as she grabbed a vase full of blood roses and threw it at him.  
  
Wincing in pain and grabbing the crystal vase with ease he placed it on his own nightstand and jumped on Kagome, successfully pinning her to the bed as his cold eyes narrowed angrily.  
  
"Be quite." Sesshoumaru's liquid steel voice warned Kagome, "I may inflict harm upon myself when I injure you miko," Sesshoumaru paused as he pressed a claw to her throat that would leave a small red welt when he withdrew it, "But I am capable of withstanding much more pain than you ever could." He growled, withdrawing his single claw.  
  
"...Hentai..." Kagome mumbled as she squirmed under his nude form.  
  
Smirking at her unease he turned from her, standing in front of the large bed, conveniently in front of Kagome's side. He picked up his kimono and took his time putting it on. Ever aware of Kagome's embarrassed gaze. He wondered briefly if she dared to lower his gaze from his face.  
  
When he finally looked at her, fully clothed her face was bright red. He smirked again.  
  
She had looked.  
  
"I need to take a bath." Kagome informed him as she stood and slipped on her socks and shoes, having regained her composure.  
  
"Yes," Sesshoumaru paused as he exited his room, Kagome following behind, "You certainly need one."  
  
"Hey! I do not smell!" Kagome defended, sniffing herself a few times, "...That bad..." She added as she followed Sesshoumaru through another hallway and into a large bathroom...  
  
Or what had the appearance of a bathroom, modernized toilets and sinks were missing along with the showerheads. The center was basically three hot springs connected with each other, the largest on top that had a small waterfall connected to a smaller hot spring, and ditto with the last hot spring. There were tables in the far corners with several large, small, and medium sized towels on them.  
  
Kagome smiled giddily, the three bubbling pools looked so inviting compared to the cold lakes and streams she'd had to bathe in when traveling with Inuyasha. She frowned then, her eyes starting to water; she wiped at her eyes furiously then turned to Sesshoumaru, who was. Not. There.  
  
She turned around this way and that, her blue-green eyes settling on the relaxed form of Sesshoumaru in the largest hot spring, his eyes closed. Kagome was once again appalled and shocked.  
  
The many ways of proper etiquette that had been violated already was beyond count for Kagome, walking up to the middle hot spring she put her hands on her hips and glared at Sesshoumaru, there was no way in all seven realms was she going to bathe in the same room as him!  
  
"And where am I to wash myself?" Kagome asked rudely, disturbing the silence with her annoyance.  
  
Sesshoumaru cracked an eye open to study Kagome, he debated briefly whether or not to inform Kagome about the ten foot boundary, that was a twenty four seven type of deal. He'd rather not tell the wench when he'd measured she was fairly angry already with there little morning surprise; he hadn't minded really, he'd been the most comfortable in that damned bed than he'd been in decades.  
  
But alas, the truth was his honor as well as his curse, he hated telling lies and double despised being lied to.  
  
With a sigh that seemed to promise ear-splitting pain he stared into her eyes levelly.  
  
"I will tell you this once, Kagome," He paused, pulling his arm out of the water to rest on the rim of the hot spring, "You and I, Sesshoumaru, can be no further then ten feet from each other," He paused again, "At. ALL. Times." He emphasized the 'all' so that it could not be forgotten so easily.  
  
"Pull the rest together in that little brain of yours miko, the middle pool you may use." He added offhandedly, letting his head fall back, relaxing his tensed muscles.  
  
Kagome stood still for a very, very long time. She didn't feel like screaming, her throat was sore already and she didn't feel like having to talk in whispers for the next few days. Sucking up her self-pity about this 'bond' thing she turned to Sesshoumaru once again,  
  
"You so much as peak at me and I'll scream until your deaf." Kagome warned as she turned her back to him.  
  
In a daze Kagome removed her garments and slipped into the spring, her muscles grateful for the warmth.  
  
Sesshoumaru had peaked, but he sure as hell wasn't going to tell the little ningen that, Sesshoumaru smirked to himself as he turned away from Kagome and her rather...nicely developed figure. The faintest hint of a blush gracing his pale cheeks.  
  
"I mean it! Turn around!" Kagome growled as Sesshoumaru waited by the closed door, back facing her.  
  
"Do not dally." Sesshoumaru warned.  
  
Why did females always take so much damned time in drying themselves off? He growled impatiently, clenching and unclenching his fists, he stopped. A sticky substance was on his palm, he brought his hand up to inspect it, blood. As it would seem, his impatience had gotten the better of him, enough to rip open his flesh in any event. He shrugged it off.  
  
"OW!" Kagome cried out as she finished tying the sash on the silk kimono Sesshoumaru had supplied for her. Her palm had been sliced open, blood was beginning to pool in her cupped hand.  
  
'She's had enough time.' He thought as he turned and followed the trail of fresh blood, other than his own. He noticed the pool of blood in her palm, his eyes glued to the ever growing puddle of red water. He licked his lips that had suddenly gone dry, he heard the faint calling of his name, he ignored it, bringing his own hand up to his mouth and drinking his own blood.  
  
He growled, it was tainted with worldly knowledge and years of endless killing. Golden eyes were drawn back to the large pool of red blood that was beginning to leak onto the undeserving floor. Another growl escaped his parted lips and bloodied fangs, this one, more carnal and primitive than the previous ones.  
  
Kagome was taking small steps backward, Sesshoumaru wasn't himself, or didn't seem to be, his eyes were fogged over with a filmy red fog, blocking the bright golden orbs that were his eyes. She noted his entire body was coated in thick layer of soft white fur...he was changing...but what was triggering it? She noticed the pooling blood on her palm, and how his eyes were glued to it. She shook her head as she scooted off to the side, if she could skirt around him and dash down the hall.  
  
Her blood couldn't be causing him to do...this. She'd bled before...but, now that she thought about it, she hadn't been in the present company of him, but when he'd broken her wrist...Kagome shook her head, refusing to believe the possible reasons and refusing to let fear overwhelm her. Dogs could smell fear. Why couldn't demon dogs smell it? My point exactly, *nods*.  
  
Dodging quickly around him she opened the door, slammed it shut and ran for the life of her down the stone hallways.  
  
Sesshoumaru's limbs had changed as he broke down the door and chased after the bleeding miko, his body pumping with the thrill of the chase, his second form melting away into his true dog demon form. He lengthened his stride to make up for his absent limb, quickly catching up to his prey.  
  
Pouncing on her with graceful accuracy he sniffed anxiously at her enclosed fist, licking at the streams of blood that escaped her enclosed fist. His body was over hers, his only arm resting rather comfortably across her body, pinning her to the floor while he nudged and nipped lightly at her fist.  
  
He whined impatiently, whuffling and growling as he switched from the three constantly and still managing to lick at her palm. The hand relented and he gave a short 'yip' of victory and licked hungrily at the bloody hand.  
  
It was sweet like the candies he'd had on rare occasions when he was a pup, except it was full of power, white innocence, and purity. The blood of a powerful virgin miko; a very rare thing, quite a delicacy among educated youkai. His senses overwhelmed his rationality as he continued to lap at the blood, always hungering for more.  
  
Kagome was afraid to move, to speak, to even breathe loudly. She was extremely confused at Sesshoumaru's actions, first he'd been the usual cruel, cold-hearted bastard...and now he was in his true form, lapping at her bleeding hand like a puppy would lap up milk, was she going insane? Or maybe he was the insane one...Kagome couldn't quite figure which.  
  
She sighed in relief, his dog form was reducing to his usual appearance, the more human looking one. But the strange thing was that as his human form began to become more visible, his eyelids drooped heavy with sleep. She also noticed her hand was getting cold, he'd stopped licking it.  
  
"Eeep!" Kagome squeaked out.  
  
Sesshoumaru had practically molded himself literally on top of her, nuzzling his drowsy-eyed, bloodied mouthed face into her neck, inhaling deeply before completely losing consciousness into the realm of sleep.  
  
Kagome was once again shocked, he was asleep on her...again. Only this time, it was in the middle of the godamned hallway so that ANYONE could just stroll on by and see them! UGH! How bad was this bond going to get? Was this one supposed to be one of the perks to living with the lord of the western lands? Like hell she thought not!  
  
A yawn escaped her mouth, 'the floor...is actually...quite comfy...' Kagome thought between yawns as she fought to stay awake. But the sudden comfiness of the floor and Sesshoumaru's body heat were not helping.  
  
Before she knew it, She was dead unconscious like Sesshoumaru.  
  
Jaken smirked to himself, brushing off invisible dust from his robes, a smile of satisfaction on his lips. What a perfect spell, he'd should have used it from the start. Jaken cocked his head to the side as if listening to something, he then nodded a few times before shaking his head.  
  
Scurrying down the hall he began to set out orders for ALL servants to work strictly on the first floors of the castle.  
  
He shrugged to himself, glaring at some unknown source, "Not everything works so fast as you'd like them too Future-sama," Jaken huffed as he turned a corner, giving orders to the 'nanny' to take care of the human brat and kitsune pup, not to let them out of her sight.  
  
"Don't start badgering me! I can't rush Sesshoumaru-sama into things such as this!" Jaken squawked as he shook his staff at nothing.  
  
"Fine then! If you think you three could do a better job then you do it! Bah!" Jaken shouted, throwing his tiny hands into the air as a sign of 'I quit'.  
  
A pause in Jaken's step as he turned to stare up at the ceiling, a grin on his green face, "I thought so, can't do it without lowly Jaken can you? Hah!" He snorted proudly, puffing out his chest and continuing down the hall to deal with the merchants.  
  
A small echoing of musical laughter filtered the hallway.  
  
A sense of contented 'right'ness filled Sesshoumaru's mind as well as his body when he vaguely became aware of reality. His head hurt immensely so he took small doses of reality; gathering small tidbits of where he might be without the use of his eyes. No way was he going to risk a skull-wracking headache if he allowed sunlight to sting his overly sensitive eyes.  
  
He felt something warm and soft beneath him . . . something very soft.  
  
His right arm squeezed the soft object closer to himself, nuzzling his face into the smooth, silky softness of it. He frowned . . . this wasn't a pillow . . . this wasn't a blanket . . .  
  
The soft object stiffened and the faint scent of fear reached his perceptive nose . . .  
  
'Oh fuck...' Sesshoumaru growled to himself. Preparing himself for the barrage of ear splitting screams...the mad dash down the hall... and his royal self falling face first into the stone-cold floor. His muscles coiled, preparing to leap to his feet if need be and still look graceful doing it.  
  
Sesshoumaru's body stiffened; awaiting the inevitable screams. None came . . .  
  
Kagome lifted a hesitant hand towards Sesshoumaru's left shoulder. 'There used to be an arm their...' Kagome thought dimly, bringing her small hand across the exposed fleshy-stub that was the remainder of Sesshoumaru's left arm.  
  
It felt alien and unnatural, the pale skin that had closed over the empty socket. There was a slight indent where Kagome assumed the bone would've been connected to.  
  
She brought her hand over it again, except this time her entire hand studying the flesh instead of the feint brush of her fingertips. Her inner mind had painted a picture of what it would look like as she ran her fingers over the scarred flesh.  
  
Sesshoumaru was paralyzed in place, his mind screamed at him to reprimand her, to hit her, to make her feel pain for touching him in such a place! How dare the insolent little-  
  
His thoughts broke off when he felt Kagome shift under him, she gripped his shoulder tightly; trying to force him away from her. He made no move to help, figuring she'd give up in a moment or two but still she persisted.  
  
Growing annoyed for reasons unknown to him, Sesshoumaru pinned Kagome's lower half with his legs then lifted himself up enough to properly glare at her. With narrowed eyes he locked them onto Kagome's own green-blue ones.  
  
"Yes?" Sesshoumaru spoke icily, his yellow eyes bleeding a feint pink cloud.  
  
Kagome made a small coughing noise and flicked her gaze first to his lips then to right behind him, locking her now worried gaze back to him.  
  
Sesshoumaru's right hand grazed his mouth, dried blood greeted his clawed fingers. 'Kuso...' He cursed as he brushed as much as he could off of his face while looking as if he were scratching his chin.  
  
Standing with graceful fluidity he turned slowly to the figure behind him, making sure his tail and robes flared behind him in a way to cover Kagome as well as looking like the royal figure he was.  
  
Anger surged through his veins, his blood boiled to impossible heights. Gold eyes studied the female youkai standing before him, taking in her seductive figure with a studious gaze filled with an emotion deeper than loathe carefully hidden by his emotionless mask.  
  
She was tall in stature, a good two inches taller than himself with a willowy figure. She wore a thin, black veil over her slim figure, a golden chain around her waist with the a fair length of it trailing to the floor. Her eyes were a bright, deep set green that was a sharp contrast to the glittery black liquid that lined her large, cold eyes. Long, silky black hair trailed down to her ankles, her hair done up in a *princess hair style.  
  
Her unusually green eyes shimmered with lusty amusement as her gaze trailed over Sesshoumaru then the human behind him. Returning her gaze to Sesshoumaru she trailed her lust-filled eyes over the Western Lord's body, noting the pale, muscled physique she glimpsed between the crack in his garments. Her eyes stared pointedly below his naval; allowing her imagination to fill in the blank.  
  
It always annoyed him when she did that. 'The horny bitch.' Sesshoumaru growled in his inner mind. He felt a specific section of his anatomy stir, beginning to harden.  
  
His eyes flared with anger and arousal. 'The bitch did it on purpose!' He howled to himself, trying to get his hormones in check. She'd INTENTIONALLY decided to 'visit' him when she was in heat!  
  
Every youkai knew that when a female was in heat they were nearly impossible to resist! It wasn't too strong with human females but there was the occasional few that were much more irresistible than even some female youkai.  
  
"To what do I owe this...visit...?" Sesshoumaru stressed the word 'visit', "Princess of the Southern Lands, lover of pain, my seventh cousin, Nicca, the daughter of my father's brother, InuArusha." He finished in a regal, superior voice.  
  
He could feel Kagome standing behind him, could sense her hand just burning to grab his; like a child afraid, needing the comforting touch a familiar figure. He could not give her the support she needed at this moment unless risking his reputation, for Nicca. Was. A Gossip.  
  
"I've come upon your invitation to stay here for three weeks," Nicca replied smoothly with a formal bow required of her, "Lord of the Western Lands, Lord of Power and Beauty, my second cousin, Sesshoumaru, half brother of the hanyou Inuyasha, son of my father's brother, InuTuiasha." Nicca finished with a seductive smile.  
  
"That invitation was written by my father," Sesshoumaru paused, "Several decades ago."  
  
Nicca shrugged modestly, "An invitation nonetheless lord Sesshoumaru-sama."  
  
"Is your bed still empty m'lord? Or perhaps you'd rather have me be filling it?" Nicca smiled not so coyly, "You can not possibly tell me a mere human is able to satisfy such needs of a powerful youkai?"  
  
Kagome's blood boiled; what was that BITCH implying? Like she'd EVER want to sleep with that nicely built hunk of flesh with that beautiful head full of silky white hair...Kagome's eyes widened.  
  
'WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING!?!?!?!?!' Kagome screamed at herself, ignoring the bitch "Princess Nicca".  
  
Sesshoumaru visibly flinched when the loud mental scream stabbed his mind. Even though his curiosity was beginning to rise it was not a good time to prod the miko's mind with Nicca present.  
  
"I believe that is rather too personal a question for you to ask Nicca, for it is none of your business." Sesshoumaru snapped.  
  
"Ouch m'lord..." Nicca pouted, "That was cold." She finished with a purr.  
  
"I'll see you at the dinner table!" Nicca waved, turning on her heels and walking down the halls, swinging her slender hips as she did so.  
  
Sesshoumaru permitted himself a growl when she was clear out of sight. He was painfully hard and shaking with rage.  
  
Soft breathing slapped his eardrums; he reeled around and slammed Kagome against the wall, he felt a rib or two snap in his back, warning him of Kagome and his 'condition'.  
  
Her feet barely brushed the ground, her back was pressed against the wall while Sesshoumaru's hips were pressed tightly against her own. A gasp escaped her throat, her hands flew to the youkai's shoulders, gripping them tightly.  
  
She turned her questioning gaze to golden eyes that swam in a rosy cloud. Sesshoumaru wasn't in control of himself, his expressionless mask was gone; filled instead with a panting mouth and lusty eyes that burned with anger and unbridled wildness.  
  
Her body was tingling from the hardness of Sesshoumaru but was filled with a strange excitement. Fear was vague and in the farthest places of her mind...Kagome had never felt like this before, she'd never thought about it...experienced it...or even wanted it.  
  
She'd loved Inuyasha, but she'd never seen his pure demon side like she was witnessing with Sesshoumaru. It was strange that she was growing excited by such actions...  
  
Another gasp was ripped from her throat as Sesshoumaru slammed her against the wall, ripping the side of her kimono in half, exposing her right shoulder and breast.  
  
A growl emanated from the throat of the great demon lord as he lowered his glistening fangs onto the junction between her pale neck and shoulder.  
  
His teeth pierced her flesh, drawing forth blood and shoots of pain that caused Kagome to cry out; tears streaming down her cheeks. Her body jerked painfully as he clamped his teeth down upon the open wound, harder, causing more blood to flow and more pain to Kagome's body as she squirmed in his grasp.  
  
Unbeknownst to her she was only increasing the lords pleasure, causing him to bite down harder, cutting into the muscle as he rocked his clothed body against hers.  
  
Kagome's tears were endless as her body sang with pleasure and pain, she gripped Sesshoumaru tightly, trying to push him away; he only growled and clenched down harder, slamming her bruised body against the wall.  
  
The primitive, wild side of Sesshoumaru was in control.  
  
Through blurred vision she saw blood on Sesshoumaru's right kimono sleeve; she raised a shaky hand and pushed the material aside, her eyes widened in surprise. She was not the only one enduring the pain, for a bite mark was clear on his shoulder, though smaller...in the shape of her own mouth...  
  
Blood gushed from his wound.  
  
Kagome arched her body forward as the pain and pleasure overwhelmed her; the sheer enormity of it taking her by force. A moan of pain and pleasure escaped her throat. Sesshoumaru's movements began to slow as he sunk to the floor, Kagome straddling him; he pulled his mouth from the wound and lapped at it as his instincts told him so.  
  
She looked at his eyes that were now filled with the emotionless mask once more.  
  
Kagome's vision was dimming...she was suddenly so very tired.  
  
'If Sesshoumaru reacts this way every time Nicca is around...I don't think I'll last the three weeks...and this wasn't even real sex...' Kagome thought dimly before her mind was pushed into oblivion.  
  
Sesshoumaru sighed as he studied the sleeping miko; she was beginning to stir again.  
  
A pale, delicately clawed finger pressed itself against Kagome's temple. Her movements ceased; she fell into the realms of black sleep once again.  
  
He did not want to deal with Kagome . . . or Nicca. But he was no coward, and thus would have to face them both, conscious, at dinner . . .  
  
Sesshoumaru mulled over the facts once again . . . Nicca was in heat, staying at his castle for three weeks in hopes to trap him in wedlock through procreation. He'd just barely escaped from fully mating with Kagome, he was stuck within ten feet of her at all times, Jaken will tortured, he could not continue to put the girl into sleep every time this happened, Jaken will die, Jaken will be maimed... oh, and Jaken will die . . . painfully so.  
  
"JAKEN!" Sesshoumaru yelled angrily, slamming his fist against the thick oak desk that was now adorned with deep gouges...  
  
Jaken walked slowly into the room, his hands clutching the two-headed staff rather tightly. Unbeknownst to his master the reason for his apparent 'fear' were not created by Sesshoumaru . . . but the premonition he'd just received from lady Future . . . and not a pleasant one.  
  
He studied his master, his head cocked to the side; Jaken permitted himself a sigh as his hand cradled his skull.  
  
Sesshoumaru's claws were inches away from Jaken's throat when he suddenly found himself face-first...on the floor. He slid his burning gold eyes upward, Kagome's wide, blue-green eyes stared down at him.  
  
Utter disgust and loathe were naked in those intense, hateful eyes of hers.  
  
"I HATE YOU!!" Kagome screamed over and over as she clutched herself, doubling over in pain as she rocked back and forth, sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
He stared at her, shocked and hurt... "But Kago- I didn't mean-!" Sesshoumaru started, only to be drowned out by the echoing words of hate.  
  
"I HATE YOU SESSHOUMARU!"  
  
Sesshoumaru bolted upright, gasping for air as he glanced left and right; his eyes not seeing the small form of his faithful servant scurrying away...  
  
His golden colored eyes turned slowly to his side, falling upon Kagome's soft features and even softer hair of ebony silk. Had it been a mere dream? Nightmare? Or a meeting through their psychic link? He did not know...  
  
He must've nodded off for a bit when he'd been contemplating the current situation...and the new problem... among others that have yet to arise.  
  
If he could last for three weeks against the burning heat that was ingrained within his blood to obey then he might just last the three weeks... 'just a mere three weeks, it will be over before Nicca can make a move' Sesshoumaru thought cockily.  
  
*  
  
Nicca strutted through the halls that would soon be hers, putting a few swings in her steps as she practically danced down the halls, reveling in her heady scent as well as the unusually large bulge she'd spied through the many folds of his kimono that he'd cleverly tried to hide.  
  
Who cares about blood connections when your sexy relation has a nice body, and even better assets below the six-pack as well.  
  
She grinned predatorily.  
  
If only InuTuiasha were still alive, he would have made this whole seduction bit a lot easier on everyone. Nicca ran a pale hand through her long hair in an absent, nervous-minded gesture.  
  
From the start that old man had planned for the two of them to wed, even if Sesshoumaru didn't agree, she'd had no problem at all, who wouldn't want to be the mate of the ruler of the western lands? And have the power to do as one pleased for all eternity? The only thing she'd have to do is produce an heir.  
  
With another grinning smile of victory she continued to swagger down the hall.  
  
*  
  
"Too bad we can't make it easier for them." a little girl laughed as she hugged the large crystal sphere affectionately.  
  
"Well we can't, we just observe like we're supposed too!." Another little girl shouted indignantly, as if she found everything a great nuisance.  
  
"I don't recall you doing such a thing when that little hanyou wouldn't give up his wish to become a full demon, you wanted to help him match off with the iced lady-archer." Another voice teased mockingly, "And if I remember perfectly, when you meddled you got that nasty Aku or whatever jumbled up in that mess and THEN look what happened?"  
  
"Thas right!" Piped up the little girl that still hugged the sphere, "An then daddy got AAAAAAnGRRREEEEEY with us when the doggy boy and ice-lady didn't hold hands then visit the cabbage patch to pick out their baby."  
  
"YEAH Present! It was all your fault!" The eldest said, pointing an accusing finger at the stubborn little goddess.  
  
"Shut up Future! That's Past's business now! We have to deal with the dog- king now! And the funny looking girl with her weird clothes!" The little goddess named Present spat angrily, stomping over to a corner in their room.  
  
"They are not funny clothes...just REEEEEAAAALLLLY out-dated is all." Future spoke thoughtfully as she studied the school uniform Kagome wore through the large crystal.  
  
"Well we need to get back to work otherwise daddy will be angry if we don't record... Like that one time..." The little girl named Past spoke.  
  
"It was only for a few eons...we were playing jump-loop-loop." Future defended as the three little deities sat cross-legged in front of the glowing sphere.  
  
"I don't like that Nic-Nic lady-bird she's got bad plans." Future mumbled.  
  
"Don't worry, toady boy knows what's happening, he is the king of the world you know. He said so." Past comforted as she released the large sphere.  
  
*  
  
Sesshoumaru's cocky attitude died when his eyes connected with blue-green ones.  
  
Except this time.  
  
He couldn't read them.  
  
Kagome grew tired of drifting in the inky darkness of her mind and was even tired of sleeping. So she'd simply drifted closer to consciousness. Since all her more forthright attempts had somehow gotten her shoved back towards the dreamless realm of darkness.  
  
Her eyes studied Sesshoumaru, her mind bringing her up to date on what had happened in the hall.  
  
The blood, the pain, the wild, uncontrolled demon blood within the Lord of the Western Lands, the pleasure, and her own dark, unfulfilled desires she'd never thought she'd possessed.  
  
For once she understood the demon youkai that sat ramrod-straight before her all-seeing eyes no longer marred by sleepiness.  
  
He was nervous, no doubt about what had happened earlier, and what her screaming reaction would be.  
  
He was going to be in for a surprise.  
  
Kagome scratched her head and gave a great sigh of exhaustion as she pushed herself into a sitting position in front of Sesshoumaru. Wrapping a blanket about herself she regarded the demon lord with a calm gaze.  
  
"What happened?" Kagome made the statement a question, pawing gently over the white-bandage that covered her shoulder.  
  
Kagome wasn't surprised by his heavy silence as he tried to read her through her eyes, but she wasn't about to let that happen, not right now, not with what's been going on.  
  
First the incident where he'd slipped into his true form, and then the near...partial rape when he'd lost control...for the second time.  
  
"Nicca is in heat." Sesshoumaru finally answered, his voice toneless though to Kagome, rather strained.  
  
She cocked her head to the side, unintentionally baring her pale, yet tantalizing neck to Sesshoumaru; who was still a little 'buzzed' from the intoxicating scent of Nicca's heady arousal.  
  
"So...when a female youkai is in heat..." Kagome trailed off blankly.  
  
"They give off a specific scent." came Sesshoumaru's clipped reply.  
  
"That..." Kagome trailed off again.  
  
"That makes them...irresistible to male youkai." Sesshoumaru spat angrily.  
  
Kagome nodded her head more to herself as the pieces fell into place. It made sense, since youkai were more in-touch with their primitive, demon side.  
  
But one thing, or more like a few things puzzled her, why didn't he mate with Nicca then and there instead of 'attacking' herself?  
  
"Why didn't you go with Nicca then?" Kagome asked quietly, staring at the golden eyes that were now devoid of subtle emotions.  
  
"She is my cousin." was his reply.  
  
Kagome didn't want to know why Nicca was so hot for Sesshoumaru but she had a hunch it had to do with getting her hands on...  
  
...the Western lands.  
  
(You dirty-minded people you! What did you think she was talking about? ^.^)  
  
"Your father wrote the invitation...but he's gone...so why is it still valid?" Kagome asked, she had been curious about that.  
  
"My...father," Sesshoumaru stressed that word a bit, "Had written that invitation awhile ago when he was planning to have me mate with Nicca,"  
  
Kagome's eyes went wide, "But you're cousins! That's...that's incest!" Kagome said in mock horror.  
  
Sesshoumaru's expression seemed confused on the word 'incest', but it quickly fled, "He did not care of blood-relations, merely to keep the bloodline pure after he passed on," Sesshoumaru spoke.  
  
Kagome broke eye contact and rested her chin on her small fist, deep in her own thoughts.  
  
She could feel the stray tendrils she'd learned to identify as 'Sesshoumaru's mind probes'. She smacked them away rudely, her thoughts were now her own, not to be looked at by a youkai.  
  
Kagome may be simple-minded around exams and shard-collecting but she'd taken up on reading about psychic powers, one of her friends was a wiccan, she'd often told 'edited' versions of her 'adventures' to her, about how the 'bad-guys' seemed to know things before they happened and stuff like that. Her friend had explained. So Kagome did the smart thing and hit the books.  
  
Kagome wasn't so defenseless anymore.  
  
Getting her mind back on target she thought about their current situation. Nicca was in heat and staying as a guest for three weeks, Sesshoumaru and herself were bound with the ten-feet thingummy, and he lost his sense of self every time Nicca got near him. Not good.  
  
But if they got away somewhere...  
  
Kagome smiled, confusing and possibly creeping the great demon lord out...  
  
She needed to go back home, there was a test coming up soon and she had to-  
0.0 Kagome's eyes widened.  
  
'MY GODS HE HAS TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH ME!!!!' Kagome's inner voice screamed, 'AND THEN GYM CLASS!!' She became frantic, how was she going to go to school? Sesshoumaru hated humans and her time period had MILLIONS of them!  
  
"Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh go-" Kagome chanted as her hands flew to her face as she rocked back and forth, on the verge of sheer panic.  
  
Putting a stop to her chant she turned to Sesshoumaru whom looked rather...pale.  
  
"Um...Sesshoumaru...?" Kagome started, trying to stave off the many shocked faces of Sesshoumaru that she could imagine when she told him.  
  
He was immediately suspicious, this would not end as well as he may like...  
  
"Yes?" He spoke tonelessly.  
  
"Well, I have to tell you something...about where I live...and well you see...I have to go there...and well you know...you kind of have to go with me..." Kagome spoke slowly, trying to break it to him in an easier way...  
  
"Out with it already miko," Sesshoumaru growled in impatience, he had already knew she'd want to go see her family, the wench being who she was and all.  
  
"Okay..." Kagome sighed, sucking in a mouthful of air, "I live in the..."  
  
And you all know Kagome told EVERYTHING about that, even a few side stories about her grandfather because she got distracted.  
  
"..." was Sesshoumaru's response...several times... -.-  
  
The future full of weak humans was a bit far-fetched, one thing from the entire story of hers was clear to Sesshoumaru.  
  
Her grandfather was insane.  
  
"I don't believe it." He spoke, "I refuse to believe that these weak, stupid, and disgusting bunch of humans now run the world." He finished, as if winning the conversation as well as her firm affirmation that he was right.  
  
She shook her head sadly, well he would see then wouldn't he?  
  
Of course she forgot to mention about the school part though...  
  
"But you'll go with me right?" Kagome asked hopefully, there was only two ways to go about this, with Sesshoumaru mildly interested, and Sesshoumaru snarling and being thrown about here and there.  
  
"Only to get away from Nicca, meaning we'll be spending only three weeks in your...time period." He said, standing from the bed and motioning for her to follow.  
  
Kagome skirted around the bed then grabbed the sleeve of his kimono, giving it a few tugs for his attention.  
  
He looked at Kagome in answer to see her expressive eyes wide with an expression that clearly told him that what she said next wouldn't be any better,  
  
"Yes?" He said flippantly, turning his eyes around the room to make sure Nicca was not near.  
  
"Can Rin and Shippou come to?" Kagome asked, her hands unconsciously twiddling with the bit of cloth she held.  
  
He could have rolled his eyes in abject boredom, he nodded briefly then made for the door again; the familiar tug on his sleeve stopped his actions.  
  
"We won't be seeing Nicca right now...would we?" Kagome asked slowly, her hand flying to her injured shoulder absently.  
  
He didn't hear the question for his eyes had been drawn to the white bandage upon her shoulder, she didn't know what it meant, and for that, his carelessness might go unnoticed.  
  
But it would scar, but the one he carried on his own shoulder would not, for she would be unbound until she chose to give the bite mark in return.  
  
Something he wasn't very sure about.  
  
"Hello? Will we be seeing Nicca today?" Kagome said, waving a hand in front of Sesshoumaru's face.  
  
He grabbed the wrist then turned his golden eyes to hers, "Yes, I'll need to inform her of my departure," Sesshoumaru spoke, "I'd advise you to properly cover any and all wounds you may have gotten during..." he trailed off, turning his gaze towards the double doors of his chamber.  
  
"Will it...happen again if you go near Nicca?" Kagome asked, her voice slightly worried.  
  
"It will not if our encounter is brief," he said.  
  
"Then lets make it as brief as possible! Or not at all! We could leave her a note like I do with my mom! I'm sure she wouldn't mind-" Kagome broke off at the golden glare of Sesshoumaru's dark eyes.  
  
"Or not..." Kagome sighed as they made there way down the halls towards the dining room.  
  
Dinner had been served...with oden, though she wasn't quite happy with the way things were going, Nicca sat two seats away from Sesshoumaru, she was directly across from Kagome...  
  
S  
  
l l  
  
l l  
  
K N  
Seating arrangement- The table is very long, it goes further down-  
  
And not to mention Nicca was chatting everyone's ear off about her father's courts, palace, welfare, fifth wife, seventh child, what size bra she wore...Kagome didn't really pay attention, she kept her eyes on her oden while stealing glances at the very, very, stiff appearance of Sesshoumaru.  
  
She decided it was time to break off the chit-chat before Sesshoumaru lost all sense of himself...again.  
  
"Princess Nicca," Kagome spoke with the best note of authority she could muster, "It has been a pleasure meeting with you and listening to what news you bring," she paused at the cold glare she received from said princess, "But we must depart immediately, we shall be back before the end of the week." Kagome spoke swiftly as she stood from her seat, head bowed in a submissive like gesture partly to keep herself from throwing her bowl of oden into the glaring princess Nicca's face.  
  
"Then why mere human, must you both depart if it is of utmost importance?" Nicca sneered, glaring at Kagome angrily.  
  
She'd only to kept talking for five more minutes and she would've been spread-eagle, bare-assed on the table next to her dinner, screaming out in sheer pleasure and this bitch of a human was taking it away.  
  
"That is not your concern, we will be departing immediately." Kagome spoke flatly, turning from the angry bitch and glancing at the stiff Sesshoumaru.  
  
With a nod he stood up then strode gracefully to Kagome's side as they walked briskly through the dinning hall and throughout the place.  
  
Kagome quieted her breathing and quickened her pace, Sesshoumaru was on edge now, and if she didn't keep quiet then he might...  
  
Jaken scurried up to his masters side, touching the bare foot of his master briefly, the lust in Sesshoumaru's eyes decapitated.  
  
That would happen in due time but they needed to leave now, before Nicca thought to follow them. Shippou and Rin both came running up to Kagome and Sesshoumaru, little traveling packs on their backs.  
  
They were silent as they trotted next to their companions, Shippou held Rin's hand in a gesture of comfort, though the little girl always seemed to be fearless, she was frightened of where they were going, for she'd been peeking into Sesshoumaru-sama's room when Kagome had been talking about where she'd lived, and he hadn't been very calm.  
  
"Your things are by the door Sesshoumaru-sama and I will remain here to keep Nicca-sama from following after and until your return." Jaken spoke quickly as he jump-skipped a few times until he stood in front of his master.  
  
"Be safe and patient my lord Sesshoumaru-sama, the future is not as defenseless as it seems." Jaken spoke cryptically with a bow of utmost loyalty and respect. He then dismissed himself and scurried down the opposite hall.  
  
Though his legs kept moving his brain was circulating over what Jaken had said, he wasn't as stupid and useless as he took him for after all. But how would he know of the future?  
  
He shook his head, that, he would deal with when he got back.  
  
He saw a medium sized pack next to an unusually large one, he made to pick them up but Kagome had beat him to it, she put the larger one on her back and carried the smaller one in one of her arms,  
  
"Shippou, Rin, come here." Kagome ordered softly.  
  
Both kitsune and child jumped up towards Kagome's open arms, they were securely latched onto the traveling pack she held in her arm.  
  
She turned to Sesshoumaru.  
  
He stared at her for a few minutes, trying to figure out why she was looking at him with that expecting sort of look.  
  
-.-; Sesshoumaru wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist and held her tightly against him as they took off into the air,  
  
"We have to go faster, so Nicca can't track us." Kagome whispered into his ear.  
  
His only answer was to speed up, until the white clouds blurred into the blue sky, the green trees a mesh of tones and lighter and darker greens.  
  
He could already sense his hanyou brother, his sensitive nose picked up traces of dirt and bones.  
  
InuYasha's Forrest came into view.  
  
Kagome unconsciously clutched Shippou and Rin tighter as they drew closer to the village.  
  
Her feet brushed the ground as Sesshoumaru released her, she looked around; the children she held were silent with apprehension. Kagome could already feel Inuyasha running at top speed in her direction.  
  
She took a frightful step back, memories of Kikyo and him flying through her mind at top speed. Kagome's back bumped into the armored front of Sesshoumaru's.  
  
The children wriggled in Kagome's arms, she reluctantly set them down.  
  
Kagome gripped the sleeve of Sesshoumaru's kimono, trying to absorb some of his calm, collected apathetic attitude. Nothing helped as her heart beat frantically, she could already see the blur of a bright red. A clawed hand grasped her hand, and gave it a brief, reassuring squeeze before releasing it completely.  
  
Kagome felt a small measure of confidence as she came face to face with a panting hanyou.  
  
"Good, you finally decided to come back to where you belong, helping me gather the rest of the shards." Inuyasha nodded forgivingly.  
  
. . .  
  
Golden eyes met golden eyes, Kagome heard a loud, rumbling growl resonating from Inuyasha.  
  
"As impatient as always, brother." Sesshoumaru drawled dully.  
  
Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head as he glared death at the youkai. His hand rose to withdraw the tetsusaiga.  
  
"Sit."  
  
*Thud* "BITCH!" Inuyasha screamed as he pulled himself off the floor, "Fuck! I swear some things never change! You should learn to be a little more like Kikyo! At least she has some control!" Inuyasha roared without thinking.  
  
Electricity crackled between the three of them, small, blue orbs began to form as they swirled around Kagome. Her blue-green eyes crystallized into a solid black, her pupils usurping the expressive colors.  
  
"...Kik...yo? Control...? A. Little. More. Like. Her?" Kagome's voice resonated with rage, each syllable suffocating from the sheer fury of it all.  
  
Rin clung to Shippou, shying behind Sesshoumaru-sama who stood fearlessly before the glowing Kagome-chan. Her shiny eyes were wide with fright.  
  
"...Kagome? What's going on?" Inuyasha questioned softly, his eyes wide with amazement, he'd never seen anything like this before, not even from Kikyo.  
  
"NEVER COMPARE ME TO HER!!!!" Kagome screamed, her head flying back as her body jerked convulsively.  
  
The glowing blue orbs grew brighter and brighter, swirling around and around, going faster and faster until they were nothing but individual rings encircling Kagome.  
  
Kagome balled herself up in mid-air, her heart beating furiously, she cried out in pain and fury. Her right shoulder burned with an excruciating intensity as it seemed to be alive with fire. Something exploded within Kagome, her body sprang open, her head thrown back, her arms and legs outstretched as a bright light burned everyone's eyes.  
  
"KAGOME!" Shippou cried, rushing over to the fallen form of Kagome.  
  
She wasn't moving, her frail body motionless, her shallow breathing the only evidence she still lived.  
  
Inuyasha lay on his back, his breathing uneven, he rubbed his eyes furiously, blinking repeatedly. He pushed himself up into a sitting position. He looked around himself, he could see nothing but blackness.  
  
He began to panic as he rubbed at his eyes again.  
  
Still Inuyasha could see nothing.  
  
'You are blind Inuyasha.' Kagome's voice echoed in his mind.  
  
'WHAT? I CAN'T BE!' Inuyasha screamed.  
  
'You will remain blind for three weeks.' Kagome's voice rang monotonously.  
  
'I'll be back to normal?! Why wait three weeks? FIX ME NOW!' Inuyasha yelled, his hands flying to his face.  
  
'No Inuyasha, you must be blind for three weeks,' Her voice said, 'For then you will feel what I felt, crippled and helpless to do anything. Learn your lessons well Inuyasha, and be grateful that I do not keep you blind, eternally.'  
  
"..."  
  
For once Inuyasha fell silent, his head ringing with the words she'd spoken. he sat on the grass, contemplating...  
  
"Will Kagome-chan be okay???" Rin whimpered sadly, glancing at the unmoving Kagome, the straight-backed hanyou, and then Sesshoumaru-sama.  
  
'Kagome get up, we do not have time to dally.'  
  
Kagome's eyes snapped open, she sat up groggily, she was sore all over, and not the pleasant sore either. She rubbed her eyes and raked a shaky hand through her black hair. She could've sworn she'd heard Sesshoumaru's voice in her head...  
  
She drew herself up on shaky feet, a hand on her throbbing skull and the other poised in mid-air, trying to keep her balance. Her knees buckled, a strong arm stopped her decent and gave her walking support. Kagome took shaky steps towards the enclosing village, she didn't spare herself a glance at the silent hanyou she'd thought she'd once loved.  
  
Blue-green eyes looked up to study the profile of Sesshoumaru, he didn't look at her, and his face showed no caring. but he did not remove his arm and seemed very careful in handling her. An unknown sense of warmth swelled within her.  
  
Rin and Shippou soon forgot the previous incident and dashed after one another, screaming and giggling cheerily as they dashed after the other village children to join in the fun and games.  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes darted towards Rin, he opened his mouth to call her back,  
  
"Let her play for awhile." Kagome's soft voice said.  
  
He turned his face towards her, studying her eyes before giving a small nod.  
  
Reluctantly he withdrew his arm, though he didn't want Kagome to fall or force herself to walk, he still had a reputation to keep, a strict one, a demon lord could not be showing any sense of caring, be it pity or tolerability. It. Was weak.  
  
Kagome let out a sigh as she nodded to herself, she understood; though not happily.  
  
"Kagome!" Sango cried, running towards the smiling miko.  
  
The two collided into a heartwarming embrace, they squeezed each other as if their very lives depended on it. Their love for each other growing all the more as they released each other, smiling warmly.  
  
"How have you been? Are you okay? How's Shippou?" Sango questioned worriedly, "Has Sesshoumaru done something to you? If he has I'll-" Sango growled warningly.  
  
"I'm fine, he hasn't done anything. Shippou's playing with Rin and the village's children" Kagome reassured, "We're heading towards the well so I can catch up on school." Kagome said, her cheeks flushing a rosy red at the thought of school...and Sesshoumaru's momentary ignorance of the situation...  
  
"Kagome!" Miroku smiled cheerily, opening his arms wide, embracing the girl.  
  
Sesshoumaru clamped his jaw shut firmly to prevent the low growl that he held on the tip of his tongue, but still a low, warning growl seeped forth; staying the monks straying hands.  
  
Miroku froze in Kagome's grasp, his hand hovering beneath her sweet bottom, he'd heard the growl, and followed it to it's owner. Sesshoumaru. 'Why would he react like that? Unless...' Miroku trailed off in deep thought, he released Kagome and plastered a warm smile on his face, 'So....that's why...' he smiled in the direction of Sesshoumaru.  
  
-.- Not good. I should kill him before he says anything...  
  
"Come on Rin! Shippou! We're going!" Kagome hollered with an enthusiastic wave, she motioned for Sesshoumaru to pick up the pace.  
  
Sesshoumaru grabbed the large pack that he'd been carrying with his tail along with his own, his tail had been started to cramp.  
  
As soon as Miroku and Sango were gone from sight Kagome leaned heavily against the father(or God) Tree, panting in exhaustion. Her face began to bead with droplets of sweat as she screwed her eyes shut.  
  
"Putting up a front aren't we?" Sesshoumaru spoke with disdain as he watched idly the kitsune and his young ward chasing one another around the bone eater's well.  
  
"Let's go." Kagome said, ignoring his comment as she strode over to the well.  
  
"Hold out your hands Rin, Shippou." Kagome said as she took out the small bottle that contained fragments of the shards.  
  
Wordlessly the two held there palms outstretched, Kagome placed a single shard in each hand, closing their tiny fingers over the shard. Kagome then turned to Sesshoumaru her hand held out, containing a single shikon shard.  
  
He plucked it out of her hand and held it in his fist. Sesshoumaru could feel the shard throb with power and seduction as it tried to seduce him with its illustrious power. With a single psychic thought he sent a psychic 'slap' to the shard, it's pulsing quieted to a pleasant throbbing pulse.  
  
"Now just jump in." Kagome said, as Shippou whooped and jumped into the well.  
  
He leaned a bit over the edge, the kitsune had vanished. So the blasted thing worked after all.  
  
Rin chewed on her lip worriedly, "Don't worry, Shippou's waiting for you." Kagome smiled brightly.  
  
Rin nodded enthusiastically as she too jumped into the well, disappearing from sight.  
  
"Come on," Kagome said with a happy smile, grabbing Sesshoumaru's arm and tugging him into the well with her...  
  
There was a wooden roof and walls around the well along with a small platform and steps, Kagome took the lead as she walked up the steps confidently, "Mama!" Kagome called happily, the two hugged each other.  
  
"It's good to see you again Kagome!" Her mother smiled affectionately.  
  
"My, who is this darling little girl and boy?" she smiled, ruffling Rin and Shippou's hair affectionately.  
  
"I'm Rin!" She chirped happily, her eyes shinning.  
  
"And I'M Shippou!" the kitsune chimed.  
  
"Darling! Absolute darlings aren't they Kagome!" Mrs. Higurashi spoke jovially.  
  
"And...WHO IS THIS?" She said enthusiastically as she eyed Sesshoumaru cheekily.  
  
He did NOT like that look.  
  
"That's Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin said happily.  
  
0.o "What's this? My heavens is that a tail? It's carrying a backpack, my how cleverly resourceful!" Mrs. Higurashi gushed as she latched her hands on Sesshoumaru's pure white, fluffy tail.  
  
"Uh-Mom...I don't think you should be..." Kagome trailed off... v.v;;  
  
"Why it's soft! How do you keep it this soft? Oh I just love it!"  
  
-.-*  
  
"Mom!" Kagome tried to pry her mother's hands off Sesshoumaru's tail.  
  
"Oh WOW!" Souta cried, "That's cool! I want to touch it!" he said, running up to his mother and clutching the demon lord's tail.  
  
-.-**  
  
"Is this one of the girls you travel with Kagome?" Souta asked.  
  
'uh-oh...' Kagome thought frantically. 0.0  
  
-.-*** Sesshoumaru growled, never had he been so insulted! His claws burned to rip them apart.  
  
"DEMON!! Run Kagome, run Souta! Get away from the demon! I shall banish him with these ancient scrolls I have!" Kagome's grandfather screamed as he charged towards Sesshoumaru, he lunged into the air and slapped a scroll on the youkai's forehead.  
  
He peeled the paper off of his face and pinned a deadly glare on the old man that would've made even Inuyasha shiver in fear.  
  
The old man took a few hesitant steps back before pulling out a barrage of spell papers, "AHAH! I shall banish you to the afterlife with these!" the old man cackled, lunging up into the air once again.  
  
You know, for an old man, he's pretty damned agile.  
  
With his youkai speed he stepped aside and watched the old man fall flat on his face, he groaned in pain before passing out.  
  
"I'd better get him to the doctor! Kagome you stay here and entertain our guests while Souta and I take Grandpa." Mrs. Higurashi said, turning serious as she released Sesshoumaru's tail then grabbed the unconscious grandfather, Souta rushed to help.  
  
"Later Kagome!" Souta called.  
  
Sesshoumaru turned to Kagome, staring at her.  
  
"...eh-heh...heh..." Kagome trailed off ^.^;  
  
"The little one will die." Sesshoumaru spoke.  
  
"He didn't mean it! I swear, he...uh...well...Sesshoumaru...you do...uh...you do look kind of..." Kagome mumbled, scratching her head sheepishly.  
  
"Look kind of what?" He prompted.  
  
"....youlookkindofgirlish...." Kagome whispered rapidly.  
  
"..." Sesshoumaru glared at the miko angrily.  
  
The lord of the western lands, a pure youkai feared by all, the eldest son of the Great InuTuiasha....WAS NOT FEMININE! -.-*  
  
"Well come on, we have some things to uh...discuss..." Kagome trailed off...  
  
Walking up the steps of her house she hadn't seen in a while Kagome pushed the door open, in rushed Shippou, dragging an excited Rin along with as the two squealed in delight.  
  
"Mrrrow."  
  
"What's that?" Shippou asked, staring at the particularly chubby cat named Buyo.  
  
"I don't know...maybe it's a youkai." Rin offered, poking it's side a bit.  
  
"Mrrow."  
  
Buyo walked away from the curious children, he padded up to the strange, tall thing before him wearing a white and red kimono. He sat down in front of it.  
  
"Mrrow."  
  
Sesshoumaru glared at the fat little thing sitting before him, he growled low.  
  
"Mrrow..." Buyo stood up, and walked away.  
  
"That was Buyo, our cat..." Kagome trailed off, taking the bags from Sesshoumaru and sprinting up the stairs, "Be right back!" she called over her shoulder.  
  
She heard an all too familiar grunt of pain and just as she guessed, Sesshoumaru's rumpled form was glaring up at her.  
  
"I'm sorry I forgot! I swear it was an accident!" Kagome spoke hurriedly, rushing over to help him up.  
  
Kagome's offered help was knocked away as the demon lord stood up and straightened his clothing, "Incompetent human, you should remember such...inconveniences as this." He snarled scathingly.  
  
Once happy blue-green eyes moistened, her hand flew to cover her mouth, "...Sorry..." Kagome whispered, turning herself away from him, dearly wishing to run into her room and cry, to be alone.  
  
Tears slid down her cheeks.  
  
A hollow laugh wrenched from her suddenly dry throat, rather ironic, ne? Before she'd seen Inuyasha and Kikyo became literally inseparable from Sesshoumaru, she'd never wanted to be alone. She'd always needed a friend with her wherever she went, from walking down the crowded halls of her school with her troop of girlfriends to- ...  
  
'School!' Kagome thought frantically.  
  
He didn't know what to do, he'd never actually made a woman cry before...unintentionally that is...He thought about comforting her briefly, before tearing the feeble whim to shreds.  
  
"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome spoke quickly turning to face him, swiftly wiping away the salty substance on her face,  
  
He arched an eyebrow in reply.  
  
"In this...time period," Kagome paused, trying to put her words and thoughts in order, "The uh, children go to school, in large buildings where they learn to...um, where they are taught mathematics, science, language, history, and...other such things along with physical activities..." Kagome explained.  
  
"What is the point of this?" Sesshoumaru demanded calmly.  
  
"Well, I attend these schools...along with...other...kids..." Kagome trailed off as she became aware of Sesshoumaru's unusually attentive and intense gaze...  
  
"And?" he inquired slowly, taking a step forward.  
  
"...And..." Kagome managed to mumble, "....and I need to go to school...I've got tests to make-up..." the last of her reasoning flying out the window of her brain, turning her voice into a squeak.  
  
"No."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No."  
  
"I've got-"  
  
"NO!"  
  
-About 7 or so in the morning....-  
  
"I refuse to wear that." Sesshoumaru growled, glaring at the offensive boy's school uniform.  
  
"You have to, otherwise they won't let you in and..." Kagome trailed off as she finished braiding Sesshoumaru's long white hair.  
  
That's when Kagome noticed something missing.  
  
"Where's your tail?" Kagome asked.  
  
"None of your business wench, and if any of those humans come near me I shall kill them." Sesshoumaru growled.  
  
"No you won't or I'll run, and keep running until you can do nothing but get thrown about." Kagome bit back, holding up the boy's uniform she had to make Sesshoumaru wear.  
  
"Here, put this on." Kagome said as she turned around to give him a little privacy.  
  
She could here the rustling of cloth, grunts of disgust...that quickly turned into growls, "This is impossible!" Sesshoumaru growled fiercely.  
  
Kagome turned around and intercepted just in time to save the uniform from complete destruction from poison claws.  
  
"It's not impossible, you're just not..." Kagome faded out when she met Sesshoumaru's hard stare.  
  
"Here, I'll help you." Kagome said, holding up the white button-up shirt for him to slide his arm through.  
  
Nothing happened, no arm went through the sleeve.  
  
"Put your arm through the sleeve Sesshou," Kagome instructed.  
  
"Do not call me that." He warned,  
  
"Then put your arm in the sleeve." Kagome said simply.  
  
And in went the arm...  
  
Kagome then righted the shirt and proceeded to button it up. After helping him with the upper half of the outfit Kagome picked up the pants, then blushed.  
  
"Um...Could you..." Kagome mumbled, "You put your legs in their then zip it up and button it." Kagome spoke quickly handing him the pants in one hand as she turned away from him, closing her eyes shut tight.  
  
"My mother will watch over Shippou and Rin while we're gone...so don't worry." Kagome commented.  
  
He allowed himself a small smile then as he let his kimono drop to the floor, taking the 'pants' from her he clumsily put them on and pulled them up, 'zipping' the zipper up and trying to button the tiny button on his pants.  
  
It was a pain in the ass to do things when you only had one hand.  
  
"Good your done." Kagome smiled, admiring Sesshoumaru in a white shirt and black pants, "Wait, your shirt's not tucked in and your button's undone, here, let me do it."  
  
Taking a few steps closer she went down on one knee to tuck in his shirt, "Turn," Kagome instructed as she tucked in the sides and back. Standing she then clasped the top of his pants and fiddled with the button until it'd shut.  
  
Her hands had just barely brushed his skin as she finally buttoned it, "There. All done, now here's your coat," Kagome spoke, helping him into his coat.  
  
She leaned back and admired her handiwork, Sesshoumaru looked utterly handsome and beautiful wearing clothes from her time period, even if it was just a uniform.  
  
An unusually sexy image flashed into her mind, Sesshoumaru wearing tight black leather...and chains...  
  
Batting away the dark little fantasy she'd just had Kagome plastered an approving smile on her face.  
  
Turning her eyes up to Sesshoumaru's, she froze, the golden eyes were not cold and apathetic, they were heated. She suddenly became fully aware how very, very close she was to Sesshoumaru.  
  
"I..." Kagome glanced away, her eyes landing on her clock, "AM GOING TO BE LATE!" Kagome gasped in surprise, it'd taken her longer than she'd expected.  
  
"Come on!" Kagome urged as she grabbed Sesshoumaru, her book bag, and then dashed down the steps and out of the house.  
  
Kagome just managed to dash into the classroom with Sesshoumaru in tow seconds before the bell rang...  
  
"Class, this is our new student...SessshoooMarow, please say-"  
  
"Sesshoumaru is my name you little bi-" Sesshoumaru was cut off by a loud shriek from Kagome,  
  
"Kagome, what was that for?" The teacher questioned.  
  
"I thought I saw a rat..." Kagome trailed off. ^. ^;  
  
"Why don't you tell us what your other school was like, SeshouMarow...?" The teacher asked pleasantly, butchering the pronunciation yet again...  
  
He glared at the pathetic human then, the slightest hint of a growl resonating from the sneer on his lips.  
  
The teacher shivered in barely repressed fear.  
  
The class full of children was already commenting on his unearthly beauty and strange tattoo's on his face... Who was this dashing person before them? He seemed so much older and mature then any of the students, had he been held back? Surely he'd be smart enough to achieve perfect marks...but beauty and brains didn't always go hand in hand...  
  
"Well, you may take the seat next to Higurashi Kagome then..." The teacher spoke quickly, motioning to the empty desk next to Kagome.  
  
With a regal heir he turned his back upon the lowly human then sat himself in the funny looking thing called a chair. He turned to Kagome, glaring at her hatefully.  
  
Some of these humans hadn't bathed in days! He brought his hand up to cover his nose, the teacher prattled on about pointless subjects he had no interest in paying attention to. Besides he was too distracted by the disgusting stench of the classroom and students, his nose was bombarded by an overly heady scent of musky flowers, fruits, spices, and something that smelled akin to a rotting corpse. He was truly and utterly disgusted by these humans, how could they possibly be in the same room and NOT be disturbed and disgusted by all these scents?  
  
He could also smell several of the female bitches monthly bleeding, though vaguely tolerable it caused small disruptions in his self control; luckily when humans were in heat he could brush the smell away, blocking it out completely.  
  
How the hell had Kagome done it?  
  
He noticed several different pieces of folded parchment sat innocently on a table Kagome called a 'desk', he had to admit he was curious. Picking one up and unfolding it, he quickly read the sloppy Japanese writing, 'I like you, will you go out with me? Love, Chiharu', he picked up another, 'Dude, where'd u get ur tattoos? Wut happened to ur arm? Peace-Zakai' .  
  
o.0 . . . -.- . . . o.o . . . -.-;  
  
Humans were truly bizarre and disgusting creatures.  
  
Kagome was only half of an exception, she didn't reek and she didn't smother herself in disgusting scents.  
  
He flinched in pain when a sharp bell rang.  
  
The students got up and began to crowd him, firing millions of questions and comments at the same time. Their voices were different in pitch and tone, some whining, some loud, others course and unrefined, others trying for seductive and failing horribly.  
  
He could feel his claws filling with poison...  
  
Kagome didn't like what was happening, Sesshoumaru was legendary for his patience, but that was in the feudal era when humans feared him and ran away. In this time period, they rushed up to him in eagerness, no fear whatsoever...Not good...  
  
Just as she was about to break up a teacher walked in right as the bell rang.  
  
"Back in your seats!" The man barked harshly, watching as the students swiftly went to their designated seats.  
  
"I'm sure you're very popular with the students young man and enjoy disrupting classes," the man glared at Sesshoumaru, "But I do NOT tolerate such behavior in MY classroom, if you so much as make a peep it's off to the principal's office for you you sniveling brat!" he reprimanded harshly, slapping a thick ruler against Sesshoumaru's naked hand.  
  
Rage and pure hatred flushed through his entire body, his entire being quivering with barely suppressed loathe. How. Dare. That. Human???  
  
Striking the Lord of the Western Lands with a stick then having the balls to scold him? HIM?! LORD SESSHOUMARU? A POWERFUL, FEARED, AND REVERED YOUKAI?! DEATH IS TOO GOOD FOR THIS BASTARD OF PATHETIC FLESH!  
  
Blood swirled in Sesshoumaru's golden eyes, drowning out all sense of self and control, nothing but anger and hatred.  
  
"Sesshoumaru! Don't!" Kagome yelled feebly as the ground beneath her feet began to quiver from the gather masses of magic and power.  
  
It was beyond her control, she couldn't think of anything she could possibly do to control the powerful youkai before her, what could she do? But she couldn't move! Fear kept her bolted to her seat as all she could do was shout for him and watch in horror as his pale skin changed to white fur.  
  
"GET OUT QUICK! GET OUT OF THE CLASSROOM!" Kagome screamed at her classmates, they ran from their desks like scared dear, bounding over desks and fallen students with screams of terror falling from their mouths.  
  
The once pompously arrogant teacher was now paralyzed with fear, his eyes frantic and pleading as he stared at a large, glaring demon dog that seethed with venomous fury.  
  
Kagome's body was overcome with uncontrollable shivers of fear, fear for what Sesshoumaru would do to the teacher, do to the school, and do to himself. It was all her fault for forcing him to go to school with her, for thinking she could control him.  
  
But she learned all too late that you can never control nor tame a proud creature like Sesshoumaru, it was impossible.  
  
Tears of pain and anguish fell from her blue-green eyes as she watched the scene unfold, she only wished that she could somehow reach out to him, try to stop him from killing the frightened teacher. But such was impossible, for she was nothing but a human girl...  
  
With a thunderous bellow of anger the dog demon clamped his salivating jaws around the teacher's midsection; a scream of pain and fear was ripped from his victim's mouth, he reveled in it.  
  
He shook his large head this way and that to disorient his victim as well as cause further pain and damaged before carrying on with his next torturous action.  
  
Dropping the screaming man to the floor he then placed his forepaw on the man's right arm, holding him in place. He dipped down and caught one of his legs with his large teeth. Sesshoumaru then jerked his head up, delighted at the strange ripping sound it made, along with the scream that followed.  
  
He dropped the severed limb on the ground, he would've been wearing a sadistic smile if his dog form would allow it as he stared at his handiwork; the man was lying in his own blood, one of his legs laying at his side, he was barely conscious.  
  
Bending down he then grabbed the left arm, preparing to rip it off in the same manor when he suddenly stopped and looked to his right.  
  
Dark sapphire blue eyes stared at him, tears spilling down the pale cheeks of the female he could barely recognize.  
  
Some of the red fog dissipitated, his true form shrinking just a bit; Kagome stared at him with strange dark blue eyes, they were glassy as she cried silently, no words of mercy spilled from her lips for the half-dead man beneath his paw.  
  
He could see her worry, her sadness, and a faint trace of disapproval.  
  
His lip curled into a snarl, but the snarl was directed at himself, he glanced back down at the man, and what he'd done to him. An unimaginable amount of disgust filled him, he was disgusted with himself and the man before him.  
  
Sesshoumaru withdrew his paw from the now unconscious man, a strange noise came not to far away along with flashing lights, he ignored it as his body reduced in size until his naked, second form stood before the unmoving Kagome.  
  
She was still frozen in shock, her eyes going no higher and no lower than his bare chest, for she could not move. Fear had paralyzed her, he realized.  
  
But it wasn't fear of him, it was fear for him.  
  
Jaken's cryptic words suddenly came to mind, '-the future is not as defenseless as it seems.', What had he meant by that?  
  
Sesshoumaru raised a pale, bloodied hand up to Kagome's cheek, he brushed a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb, leaving a trail of blood as he did.  
  
His golden eyes grew wide, the blood on her cheek, the blood of that ignorant human, the taint of worldly knowledge, the ancient promise, the bite mark...  
  
'...through a servant a bond shall form, through the blood of a man the human blood shall die, tainted with knowledge beyond the worlds, the mate shall live through another's eyes...'  
  
"Police! Freeze!" A young officer called, pointing his gun at the strangely nude, white-haired man standing, with his back to them.  
  
Sparing a glance at the strangely dressed men he scooped Kagome up then burst through the glass window, flying as if his very existence depended upon it.  
  
Halfway through the flight, Kagome seemed to regain control of her body, she wrapped her arms around Sesshoumaru's neck and hugged him close, crying her apologies into his neck as she wept...  
  
. . . . . ElseWhere . . . . .  
  
"Inuyasha...?" came a soft voice.  
  
"Go away!" Inuyasha growled, clawing at the air in front of him.  
  
Inuyasha's unusually still form sat at the base of the godfather tree, picking out clumps of grass in his frustration. He could see nothing! Just blackness! He couldn't stand it! He could not hunt shards if he could not see!  
  
"Inuyasha," the voice spoke again, a soft, but cold hand rested on his shoulder.  
  
Kikyo, he knew it was her, she was always cold. Like ice.  
  
Fire and Ice...  
  
"I cannot see! Leave me alone!" Inuyasha growled again, shrinking away from Kikyo's comforting touch.  
  
"Who did this to you...?"  
  
He felt cold fingertips brush against his closed eyelids, he jerked away from the touch; backing himself away as far as possible, but his back was already against the stout trunk of the ancient tree.  
  
"...kagome...' Inuyasha growled.  
  
Why had she done it? For making her a cripple? He'd done nothing to that bitch! So why did she have to go off with his brother then make him blind!?  
  
A low growl resonated from his throat at the thought of Sesshoumaru. Why was he acting so strangely towards Kagome? Taking her away to live with him...then going to her time? What was going on?  
  
Too many questions. Too few answers.  
  
"I can bring back your sight Inuyasha,"  
  
White dog-ears swiveled in the direction of the voice, "You can...?" he asked slowly.  
  
"Yes, though not all of it, but enough for you to see." Kikyo's voice answered.  
  
"Then do it."  
  
He would go find Kagome, take her away from his brother then he would get some answers from her.  
  
. . . . . . ElseWhere . . . . .  
  
"I have no time to spend here! Where is Sesshoumaru?!" Nicca hissed, knocking a vase off of a small table.  
  
"You do not treat Sesshoumaru-sama's property like that Nicca-sama! It is treason and penalty by torture!" Jaken squawked angrily.  
  
"Oh shut up you stupid servant! You are worthless and pathetic, just like these trifle things!" Nicca hissed angrily, slashing her claws at Jaken.  
  
He raised his staff and summoned a breath of fire.  
  
Large, dancing flames arose from the mouths of both heads, spiraling together as they hungrily devoured the weak poison that dripped from Nicca's claws, burning her hand as well as her arm.  
  
She shrieked in retaliation, withdrawing her hand immediately, clutching the bleeding injury to her protectively. Nicca turned her firey glare onto the disgusting toad-like creature that was lucky enough to be called a youkai.  
  
"Where is the Eradica Inju?" Nicca demanded, standing abruptly.  
  
"I do not recall such a name, good day to you Nicca-sama." Jaken huffed, turning on his heel and stalking away, he paused at the doorway and half turned.  
  
"If you break any more things I will have the guards deal with you." Jaken spoke stiffly before closing the door behind him  
  
Jaken sighed, Nicca would make her move soon, things would soon fall into place...  
  
Nicca growled, raising her bloodied hand up to her waiting mouth, lapping at the coppery blood that spilled forth.  
  
Her heat cycle would soon be over, she'd have to wait another decade before she'd get another chance to get her hands on Sesshoumaru and the Western Lands; but there was still a chance, if only she could find him!  
  
"That's it!" Nicca snapped, eyes wide.  
  
Jumping from her seat she dashed down the halls of the large palace-like castle, she stopped in front of a large, black door.  
  
It was large and ancient, what lied within was rarely if ever used, and for good reason.  
  
She returned her thoughts to the large, black door. It was made of solid black marble, the front was carved with intricate twists and turns, intertwining vines with numerous Celtic knots and loops, roses in full bloom along with their deadly thorns were also interwoven in the intricate pattern. The petals were carved from a shiny metallic stone known as hematite.  
  
The door was truly a masterpiece, the artist was a mystery to the youkai that lived in this castle. For as long as the oldest youkai could recall, the door had always been there, guarding the ancient thing within its depths.  
  
Pushing the door open with all the youkai strength she could muster, Nicca was lucky enough to hear the slow, creaking grown of the door giving way, allowing her entrance.  
  
Striding past the door and the silk drapes that covered the stonewalls she stopped in front of a large crystal sphere with a thin silk sheet covering it.  
  
Nicca raised her uninjured hand up towards the edge of the cloth, her hand began to shake with fear. Gulping down her nervousness and shoving her not- so-petty fears aside she yanked the silken cloth away from the crystal orb.  
  
It pulsed with life, it's clear depths beginning to grow a cloudy black. It seemed to glow with an unearthly beauty, the far edges of the inner storm clouds glowing an eerie purple.  
  
...you wish something of me do you Nicca? ... yes you do don't you? ... you know the risk you place upon yourself as well as the cost for my services do you not?....  
  
The formless words seemed to be everywhere, but Nicca knew they came from the very thing that could ever cause her ultimate fear. Gathering her tattered remains of her wits and courage she bowed low in respect,  
  
"...Yes, I ask for your services Mighty Youkai-sama," Nicca spoke with a slight quiver of fear.  
  
... ahhh...still chasing after something you'll never possess? ... I should've guessed I'd be seeing you... His destiny is already upon him little one... ...relinquish your desires... such will get you no where... ...the one for you is not so far behind now..... ....yes..... ....time for your destiny is at hand.... ....coming closer it is...  
  
Nicca shook with fear as haunting laughter made her heart race.  
  
"Tell me!" Nicca whispered hoarsely, falling to her knees, unable to keep standing.  
  
.... as you wish little one... ....but when you die.... ...your soul is mine... ....  
  
"Yes! Just tell me!" Nicca pleaded, the blood from her burns was dripping onto the floor, trailing up the wooden legs of the table to be absorbed by the hungry sphere.  
  
... through Bone Eater's Well... ... another time awaits... ....the one you seek will be their... ...but the one your soul is bound to...  
  
More laughter chilled Nicca's bones...  
  
.... will also be their... ....beware little youkai... ....the little puppy of a boy has teeth...  
  
The words were no more as the crystal fell silent, the rumbling storm clouds inside its clear depths no longer.  
  
Nicca pulled herself up on shaky feet, placing the silk cloth over the crystal. Turning around slowly, she walked from the room, the large door closed silently behind her...  
  
. . . . . . ElseWhere . . . . .  
  
"He's been moping around for the past three days!" Sango snapped at the monk, pacing back and forth to relieve her anger.  
  
"But Sango, you must have some pity for Inuyasha, he is temporarily blind after all..." Miroku chided, tilting his head to the side, when Sango turned just right....  
  
"PERVERT!" Sango screamed, punching Miroku straight in the jaw.  
  
Kaede walked up to the small group, shaking her head as she did so... Some things never changed... 


	2. chap13

-Okay, nakedness: you will stare dumbfounded and in disbelief at who Nicca is 'soul-bound' to, trust me, when I thought of it, I encisioned angry reviewers running at me with pitchforks screaming how ooc and insane that decision was. But the truth, I could think of no one else better suited for Nicca, I just couldn't shake the idea away.  
  
Almaseti: Yeah, the orby thing just popped into my head, I can tell ya now, I would _never_ want to cross paths with that thing! X.X  
  
O_o( ) : I do my research, but I tweak the truth and distort bits of reality to _my_ choosing, so don't get all perfectionist on me with details.  
  
baka deshi: I expect _no one_ to 'kiss up to my ass' In truth, I find people that follow along those lines to be annoying, mostly all my starting chap.s are 'promising' I get flaky and I pull through, it seriously all depends upon my interest level, if I like it, I'm killer, if I get bored, it's shite for shit. t.y. for the review. But. ONE. Question....... Who's moses?  
  
Just a few responses *shrugs* ja-  
  
Lost Within  
  
Chapter 13: SoulBound Bloody Ties  
  
Nicca pulled herself up on shaky feet, placing the silk cloth over the crystal. Turning around slowly, she walked from the room, the large door closed silently behind her...  
  
. . . . . . ElseWhere . . . . .   
  
"He's been moping around for the past three days!" Sango snapped at the monk, pacing back and forth to relieve her anger.  
  
"But Sango, you must have some pity for Inuyasha, he is temporarily blind after all..." Miroku chided, tilting his head to the side, when Sango turned just right....  
  
"PERVERT!" Sango screamed, punching Miroku straight in the jaw.  
  
Kaede walked up to the small group, shaking her head as she did so... Some things never changed...  
  
-  
  
Sliding through the window with ease he set the sleeping miko upon her bed.   
  
A growl emitted from his enclosed mouth as Sesshoumaru closed the window silently, he did not like this place...this future that had been his territory. Turning from the window he pulled on his original clothing, feeling a little more comfortable in the familiar garments.  
  
How could she call _this_ home?   
  
Disgusting humans with their awful stench everywhere, crowding each other, smothering themselves in the putrid toxins. Tall metal and glass buildings that possessed no true history, no tales of honor and pride behind the empty things. And the noise! The constant noise, yelling, screaming, scolding, strange beeping sounds, wailing sirens, and the baying howls of sharp noises that she'd called 'horns' that were constantly in use by their masters in metal cages she'd called 'cars'.  
  
For once, his apathetic mask slipped, he felt truly disgusted with the evolution of man and the downfall of youkai. He was tired, tired of the noise, the smell, all of it.   
  
Sesshoumaru wanted to go home.  
  
No sooner had he sat down upon the edge of Kagome's bed, Rin and Shippou came bounding into the room. Giggling and laughing happily, blissfully unaware of the chaos of man and the small scuffle he'd had at 'school'.  
  
A small, reminscent smile tugged at his lips as he watched Rin dash up to him, hugging his leg happily; at least one of them was having a good time. Erasing the smile he lowered a clowed hand to ruffle Rin's dark brown hair in a somewhat affectionate manor.  
  
Her eyes shined bright with love, trust, and happiness.   
  
The eyes of a child.  
  
"What's wrong Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin smiled happily, giving his leg another hug.  
  
"Yeah, you don't look very happy, did Kagome do something to make you mad?" Shippou spoke up suddenly, walking up to the demon lord, "She's _Always_ doing something that makes Inuyasha go into a hissy fit."   
  
Interesting little kit...Sesshoumaru noted absently as he shook his head no in reply, though he wasn't quite sure about the truth of his answer to the little kitsune.  
  
Was he mad at her? A little disappointed at having been publicly humiliated, and a little annoyed at how swiftly she'd apoligized to him. Well, humans were always the melodramatic sort...  
  
. . . . . . . . Elsewhere . . . . . . . . .  
  
Wind tore at her clothing, fraying the ends of her kimono as wind whistled in her ears. Faster, and faster, she needed to run faster, she had to be there now!   
  
Ignoring the blurred images of youkai she pushed herself to run faster, her legs pumping up and down, firey pain streaking down the length of her leg muscles; screaming their complaints of abuse and agony.  
  
A bright red blur of a familiar haori attached to silver hair flickered in the corner of her eye before disappearing from her sights altogether. The vague scent of Sesshoumaru intertwined with the bitch of a human, she needed to be there _NOW_.  
  
Nicca pulled to an abrupt stop in front of an old well, the crystal sphere had called it Bone Eater's Well. But what had he meant by 'on the other side'?   
  
A tremor of fear shot down her spine, a terrified shudder took over her form; then all the doubts came spilling from her inner mind to bombard her thoughts...  
  
Was it worth her blood and Soul to have the Western Lands? To share flesh with her second cousin, a powerful, beautiful youkai with all the appearance and prestige of a youkai god? Had the Almighty Youkai decieved her about Bone Eater's Well so as to ensnare her soul in an ireversable contract of ownership?  
  
Nicca bit her trembling lip, piercing the soft flesh, drawing forth her light pink blood.  
  
She shook her head abruptly, she would not allow her fears and doubts to consume her! She was a youkai of royal blood, she refused to be afraid and in doubt!  
  
Clutching the rim of the well tightly she flipped herself into the well with practiced ease, taking her to a different time and future beyond her comprehension...  
  
. . . . . . . . . . . Elsewhere . . . . . . . . .   
  
"Awk! She did?" Jaken gawked as he stood in the dark room, looking up at the crystal sphere that swirled with black thundering storm clouds.  
  
. . . . You expected less from her. . . ? . . . . . . . . a servant of him you may be . . . . . being in my presance draws anger . . . . . . . . . . along with hours taken from your existance Jaken . . . . . . . . . . . . . you should know that. . . . .  
  
The voice haunting the room and Jaken's inner mind did little to unnerve the small youkai.  
  
Drawing himself up to his full height, a good twenty four inches, looking the perfect picture of calm.  
  
"You should know as well as myself that I no longer fear you Almighty Youkai, for I've seen greater things to fear other than you," Jaken paused, "But I'll leave you to wallow in your misery and loathe to torture the pitiful souls you've managed to ensnare; good day." Jaken finished as he bowed low.  
  
With that he strolled out of the door and down the hall, this was not good, Future-sama had not told him of this! Picking up his pace he scurried down the halls, his thoughts enveloping his surroundings.  
  
Time was growing short, the power within the girl was already building, leaking out little by little, the incident with the hanyou being proof enough! It was already on the verge, it was already down to a matter of months! He knew of no spells to further push the two together nor speed up the transformation!   
  
It helped not that the two were fighting it!  
  
Jaken let out an angry sqwuak-like shriek of frustration, things were not going as planned!  
  
The bitch aside, _he_ wasn't doing any better! The longer he stayed there, the more withdrawn he'd become! Ultimately closing off his icy heart completely! This needed time! But with all that was happening very little time was left!  
  
Getting his master and the little human together was neccessary to get his walls to soften towards the humans, but the Fates predictions was the worst! And so soon...!  
  
Jaken fell onto his rump, allowing the rest of his tiny body to fall backwards onto the cold floors; his beloved staff rolling out of his hand. He gave a great sigh of pure exhaustion, things were not going well....  
  
Things were not going well at all....  
  
. . . . . . . . . Elsewhere . . . . . . . . . .   
  
Hojo hummed a little tune as he walked to Kagome's house, a beginner's book on reading brail in his hands. 'Poor Kagome,' Hojo thought sympathetically, 'Having two tumors developing in her eyes, then having them removed in order to save her life, along with all her other illness's... I'm surprised she managed to pull through and wake up from her coma...'  
  
He sighed, bringing a hand to his cheak, leaning into his own offered comfort, 'Poor Kagome...' he thought, pausing in his step before continuing on his way.  
  
*  
  
Nicca pulled herself from the well, she noted the difference of her previous surroundings; so the thing hadn't decieved her after all...  
  
She walked around the strange looking house in awe, walking towards the unusually straight and impossibly pefect steps Nicca caught sight of a blonde-haired boy on the steps; he was young and handsome, or at least his backside was; he had the boyish grace and stature that Sesshoumaru lacked. 'How strange,' Nicca thought as she strode up the steps.  
  
For once she learned that Sesshoumaru lacked in something.  
  
Kagome opened the front door only to be enveloped in a hug, "I'm so glad you're alright! And not blind Kagome-chan! Had the tumors in your eyes been a false alarm? Or did you get new eyes?" Hojo's unmistakeable voice rose to her ears.  
  
She was going to kill her grandfather.  
  
A low growl floated to her ears from behind.  
  
Kagome felt an arm snake around her waist as she was yanked from Hojo's hug. She looked behind her to see Sesshoumaru's arm tightly around her waist in a very possessive manor, but his eyes were not on her, but at Hojo.  
  
Or at least she thought they had been.  
  
Turning her gaze to Hojo's curious one, her eyes trailed left then right of Hojo's form. She saw her porch, then Nicca. Nothing out of the ordinar- WAIT.  
  
What the hell was Nicca doing here?  
  
Kagome gulped. Well this is awkward.  
  
-r/r, what do you think of it? The next few chapters may not be entirely centered on K/S, but more towards other characters, not neccessarily Inu or a few of the others...- 


	3. chap14

-Ho hum...just thinking about the situation Kagome is in brings laughter....*Insane Laughter*....-.- *ahem* anyway.... I just had to put this in here.... Note: Yes Hojo will be slightly out of character, but you must realize he's a real friendly guy and a bit on the stupid side...-.-;  
  
Fanfic Review/er:  
  
DeMoN tAiNtEd,   
  
  
  
The following review has been submitted to: Lost Within Chapter: 13  
  
  
  
From: Lecta (http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=245989)  
  
Ooh....the plot thickens. Please continue. *Hiding throwing knives   
  
behind back* I insist.  
  
-  
  
Demon: Oh yeah? Just try it and Sesshou will kick your ass...Isn't that right Sesshoumaru?  
  
...  
  
Demon: Sesshoumaru?  
  
...  
  
Demon: Fluffy?  
  
....  
  
Cough_Cough....anyway....   
  
Alexandra: yes...we all know how sane Kagome's grandfather is....*cough cough*  
  
tamababymiko-chan: I'll get with the fluffy stuff I just need to pay attention to the other characters, which I don't usually do...  
  
nuff o that-  
  
Lost Within  
  
Chapter 14: Well... Um... Well Okay...  
  
Kagome felt an arm snake around her waist as she was yanked from Hojo's hug. She looked behind her to see Sesshoumaru's arm tightly around her waist in a very possessive manor, but his eyes were not on her, but at Hojo.  
  
Or at least she thought they had been.  
  
Turning her gaze to Hojo's curious one, her eyes trailed left then right of Hojo's form. She saw her porch, then Nicca. Nothing out of the ordinar- WAIT.  
  
What the hell was Nicca doing here?  
  
Kagome gulped. Well this is awkward.   
  
-  
  
Wind chimes clinked together in melodious harmony, the wind blowing gently against the soft, malleable metal... Completely and blissfully unaware of the dangerous tension that filled the air... along with Hojo...  
  
"This is quite a lovely surprise isn't Kagome? You're all better and I see you've invited friends to celebrate!" ^.^  
  
'Words fail me...' Kagome's mind thought dimly as she tried to ignore the two distinct growls clashing against each other in the bleak silence of mid afternoon...  
  
"And _who_ is this pretty lady? Is she a friend of yours Kagome? I've never seen her at school before?" Hojo commented, smiling cheerily at Nicca, turning to face her, "Hello! My names Hojo! What's yours?" He asked ever-so-politely, taking Nicca's hand within his own, giving it a firm shake.  
  
0.0 -.- 0.0 Blink.  
  
Nicca couldn't believe it. A _HUMAN_ was introducing himself, complementing her, asking for her name, and shaking her hand... Words and thoughts failed her, complete and utter shock of a human's fearlessness left her in a naked stupor of idocy.  
  
'Well this is quite unusual...' Sesshoumaru thought to himself, tightening his hold on Kagome's waste. Satisfied and quite pleased with the small gasp that came with the action.  
  
"Her name is Nicca! She's a... um..." Kagome trailed off, "She's a cousin of my friend Sesshoumaru...they're from..." Kagome trailed off again, a bright red blush enveloping her pale cheeks.  
  
Her hands clenched and unclenched nervously as her brain sought for a believable lie...., "They're from...OUT of Town...yeah, they're just visiting for awhile...um...oh-!" Kagome broke off, realizing just how tightly she was pressed against the male youkai behind her...the very _male_ youkai behind her.  
  
That happened to be incredibly aroused...'Nicca must still be in heat...' Kagome thought, her cheeks practically on fire as Sesshoumaru's arm tightened, stealing the breath from her lungs. His claws dug into her side as his arm gripped her tighter, she could feel the blood trickling down her left hip.  
  
"Well hello Nicca! Welcome to Tokyo!" Hojo smiled, enveloping her in a hug, "I hope you like your stay here!"   
  
Her body stiffened, unusued to the 'friendly' touch that felt so...alien to her body and senses. Didn't the boy sense or feel the inner heat and scent that caused males to go wild with need? Why wasn't he trying anything? 'Strange human boy.' Nicca scoffed as Hojo released her, that same stupid smile on his face.  
  
'THINK KAGOME! GET HER OUT OF HERE NOW OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE-' Kagome screamed at herself, her thoughts breaking apart at the seams as Sesshoumaru's claws dug deeper into her flesh, pulling her tighter against him. She could feel his once even breaths coming out heavier, louder, and becoming uneven...not good signs in her book...  
  
"Um HOJO!" Kagome practically screamed to break off the poor boy's idiotic chatter of the many sights of Tokyo.  
  
"Yes Kagome? Oh are you ill? Maybe you should go lie down, you are looking paler than before." Hojo remarked good-naturedly  
  
"Why don't you take Nic-CA-" Kagome inhaled a deep breath as she felt Sesshoumaru's rather... large erection press against her bottom, " I mean," Kagome coughed, bringing a hand to her mouth, "Why don't you take Nicca to g-O... see the sights of Tokyo...? Umm...Now???" Kagome rushed, clamping a shaky hand on the side of her door, gripping it tightly as Sesshoumaru rocked against her.  
  
'Gods or whatever godamned idiot is up there...PLEASE let Hojo be as stupid as humanly possibly right now! Or otherwise I'll be ruined....' Kagome begged silently as she bit her lip, the familiar tingling sensations of pleasure laced with pain ripped through her system. She spread her legs apart to keep standing, if Nicca and Hojo didn't leave _right_ now...  
  
"Are you sure, I mean what will you and Sesshoumaru do-?" Hojo was cut off.  
  
"Don't...worry, we'll be...FINE. Just. GO...!" Kagome urged, a soft gasp-like moan wrenching from her throat.  
  
"Well if you insist-"  
  
"GO!"  
  
"Well bye Kagome, I hope you feel better!-" Hojo trailed off as he laced his arm with Nicca's and strolled down the steps, oblivious to Nicca's shocked stupor and the loud 'SLAM' of the door behind him.  
  
"You'll just _love_ Tokyo Nicca-san!" Hojo commented cheerily.  
  
-Back at the Shrine-  
  
"ACK!!!! Demon! Get AWAY FROM MY GRANDAUGHTER!!!!" The old man yelled, charging towards Sesshoumaru, scrolls aplenty....  
  
0.0 -.- o.o Blink.  
  
Sesshoumaru shook his head to clear away the familiar haze that had dimmed his senses...  
  
A surprised yelp-like howl ripped from his throat as an old man became suddenly attached to his back, slapping pieces of sticky paper all over him.  
  
WAS THIS MAN INSANE!?!?!?!?!  
  
"Grandpa! Sesshoumaru! Oh GODS MOM!!" Kagome cried as both taiyoukai and half-crazed grandfather wrestled furiously, battle of the species...  
  
Mrs. Higurashi dashed into the room with a frying pan raised high, "Where's the fire?!?!?! Oh! Kagome! Grandpa! Sesshoumaru!"  
  
-Short chapter I know...but it's just funny...why I think so? Because I _NEVER_ laugh when I write out funny scenes, I just smile and think I might recieve a laugh or two from the readers. So I had to post this prematurely.-  
  
-I can tell you one thing right now, I was laughing my ass off as I wrote this chapter...*laughs*... ^__________^- 


	4. chap15

Lost Within  
  
Chapter 15: Well You See Hojo...  
  
A surprised yelp-like howl ripped from his throat as an old man became suddenly attached to his back, slapping pieces of sticky paper all over him.  
  
WAS THIS MAN INSANE!?!?!?!?!  
  
"Grandpa! Sesshoumaru! Oh GODS MOM!!" Kagome cried as both taiyoukai and half-crazed grandfather wrestled furiously, battle of the species...  
  
Mrs. Higurashi dashed into the room with a frying pan raised high, "Where's the fire?!?!?! Oh! Kagome! Grandpa! Sesshoumaru!"  
  
-  
  
Big brown eyes stared at the taiyoukai in curious fascination, taking in every detail of the revered and much feared Lord of the Western Lands; the dangerous youkai known as Sesshoumaru...  
  
"I still think he looks like a girl." Souta commented before running out of the house as if the devil were on his heals.  
  
Sesshoumaru growled, digging his clawed hand into the soft recliner before shooting another glare at Kagome's grandfather that also sat in a similar recliner, muttering gibberish and clutching those sticky pieces of paper. He. Hated. This. Place.  
  
"He didn't mean it Sesshoumaru-sama...really...he didn't..." Kagome pleaded, trying to placate the overly proud youkai.  
  
That's it. He'd had it. The upstart child would die; standing from his seat he grabbed Kagome around the waist with his tail and was seconds away from the door when-  
  
"AND WHERE DO YOU THINK *YOU* ARE GOING???" Mrs. Higurashi screamed from the kitchen, hands on hips; her once light, happy brown eyes dark with malice.  
  
Sesshoumaru froze instantly, releasing the woman-child and turning to face the madwoman that was Kagome's mother. Now he remembered...he remembered why he hadn't killed the old man....*THAT* woman. Was. Insane. Maybe it was that inborn sense of motherhood that Mrs.Higurashi retained from raising two children on her own with an insane grandfather that gave her that edge that a female youkai mother needed to keep her pups in line...And gods this woman had an extra dose of it... *shivers*...  
  
Turning back towards the chair he sat back down, grumbling under his breath.  
  
Kagome sighed, another murder just barely avoided...her hand flew up to her mouth, covering the humorous smile at the brief scuffle between her grandfather and Sesshoumaru; the two had fought wildly until her mother had come in and gave the both of them a lump on the head with her frying pan...which now bore a huge dent...  
  
She'd never before seen her mother that...scary..... 0.0 ...  
  
~* ELSEWHERE*~   
  
(Somewhere in Tokyo)  
  
"Isn't Tokyo just a lovely place Nicca-san? You should come here more often! I'd just love to see you again!" Hojo remarked jovially, patting the youkai princess's arm that he held in his own.  
  
0.0 -.- 0.0 Nicca could do nothing but walk around and nod dumbly. The buildings were so wretchedly tall! Made of glass, metal, stone, brick, anything and everything made of some sort of sturdy material! And the people! Humans! Everywhere they walked, rode, and controlled strange metal beasts that honked and lit up!  
  
Most of the humans smelled disgustingly awful but being in 'Hojo's presance seemed to have a nuetralizing effect on them; blocking out all other smells save his own...sadly innocent and plain one. She almost pitied the poor boy's naivete` towards the world and female in general.  
  
A delicately clawed hand came up to her face, releasing a pent up sigh. Her heat cycle had ended just moments ago...her chance with Sesshoumaru no more. Nicca growled, slashing at a young sapling, it fell to the ground in bits of tinder.  
  
"My! You've got perfect aim! I'm surprised nails can do that!" Hojo praised in awe, grasping her hands in his and staring at her claws in admiration.  
  
Nicca valiently battled off the urge to roll her eyes and smack the young pup upside the head for his sheer, deluded, and sorely placed idiocy. When would the whelp get a clue? 'It was still nice of him to compliment me, I am a princess after all.' Nicca remarked to herself.  
  
"What is this place?" Nicca demanded, pulling her hands out of Hojo's.  
  
"Why it's Tokyo, we're in one of the parks. This is one of my favorites though! It's called Sakura Park!" Hojo smiled, walking down one of the more secluded paths.  
  
She debated whether or not to follow the human, but the coming stench of other anticlean humans won over as she quickly hop-skipped to the boy's side as he prattled on about the history of this 'Tok ee Yo'....  
  
~*ELSEwhere*~  
  
"Can you see now beloved?" Kikyo questioned, rising from Inuyasha's side.  
  
"All I can see is a bunch of blurry stuff! This is worse than being human!" Inuyasha scoffed angrily, sulking at his inability to see anything other than blurs.  
  
"Well it is the best I can do," Kikyo commented dully, striding towards the well that was no more than a few meters away, "I have other matters to attend to Inuyasha."  
  
"What?" Inuyasha's surprised tone floated to her, he was on his feet in an instant and taking careful steps towards her.  
  
"What do you mean? Are you going to collect more souls?" He questioned softly.  
  
"No," Kikyo spoke softly, almost as if she'd rather have been doing that then what she had to do next, "Something more important than my constant existance," She paused, her soft brown eyes growing darker, and even softer if it were possible, "I go to the future to save this one." She finished cryptically before disappearing over the side of the well.  
  
"Wha-? Kikyo? What did she mean? ...I have to find out!" Inuyasha spoke suddenly, lunging into the well after Kikyo.  
  
'And to find out what the hell Kagome's been doing behind my back,' Inuyasha thought bitterly as fuzzy blue lights danced before his dim vision.  
  
~*ElSeWhErE*~  
  
"Yay! This is so much fun!!" A little girl chirped happily, practically dancing around a large sphere in pure joy.  
  
"Oh pipe down ya little brat!" Another girl scoffed, her childish features scrunched up in agitation, "The ice-lady archer is going to do like we aske-Um I mean the ice-lady archer is doing something unexpected." the girl corrected herself quickly.  
  
The quite little girl opposite of her arched an eyebrow in curiousity, "Oh really?" she intoned slowly.  
  
She gulped and shook her head, "*ahem* *cough-cough* YeUh...some-thing..UNexpected..." she coughed out shakily before turning away...  
  
~*elsewhere*~  
  
"I still think it's a distant relative of Jaken..." Shippou said, poking the fat cat Buyo in the side.  
  
"No, it couldn't be, this uh...'kitty' isn't anything like Jaken-sama. Rin knows this cuz Rin can tell...yup-yup." Rin nodded vigorously, poking Buyo in the side, delighted with the meow that came when you poked it.  
  
"Maybe...because Jaken's too toady looking to be a 'Buyo'." Shippou agreed, patting the cat on the head before walking off, Rin quickly followed.  
  
"So what are Shippou and Rin going to do now?" Rin asked, skipping after Shippou as they climbed onto Kagome's bed.  
  
"Well we shouldn't go downstairs because kagome's grandpa is crazy and Sesshoumaru-sama isn't very happy with the crazy grandpa and Kagome said we shouldn't go downstairs..." Shippou said, scratching his head, "Well let's explore..."  
  
"Rin says yes!" Rin cheered.  
  
~*Elsewhere*~  
  
"Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi called from the kitchen, "Can you come here for a moment?"  
  
"Sure mom! Be right there!" Kagome called, walking into the kitchen where her mother was busy cooking, "Yeah?" Kagome asked, glancing back to make sure she was within ten feet of Sesshoumaru.  
  
Her heart skipped a beat.  
  
'But how?...' Kagome thought, not hearing her mother's instructions for dinner.  
  
She stared at the floor then to where Sesshoumaru sat, back facing her...clear across the other side of the living room.   
  
Kagome knew her room was thirty feet in length from one side, all the way to the kitchen. And Sesshoumaru wasn't growling or grumbling at her feet, but sitting in the recliner, unharmed and unaffected by the bond.  
  
Kagome was scared.  
  
-What do you think? I tried not to center it so much on S/K this chapter. It sort of worked. r/r later- 


	5. 1618

Lost Within  
  
Chapter 16: Bloody Bones and Weak Emotions  
  
Her heart skipped a beat.  
  
'But how?...' Kagome thought, not hearing her mother's instructions for dinner.  
  
She stared at the floor then to where Sesshoumaru sat, back facing her...clear across the other side of the living room.  
  
Kagome knew her room was thirty feet in length from one side, all the way to the kitchen. And Sesshoumaru wasn't growling or grumbling at her feet, but sitting in the recliner, unharmed and unaffected by the bond.  
  
Kagome was scared.  
  
-  
  
Her head swam and her stomach clenched...Kagome didn't feel very good.  
  
A shaky hand clutched at her stomach, the other bracing her against the doorframe; she felt so incredibly hot! Her skin was burning up with heat and sweat, her body felt as if it were on fire!  
  
Shaking breaths wheezed from Kagome's suddenly dry throat; her body began to shiver and shake convulsively; why was it so freezing?  
  
Kagome's petite form slumped to the ground, she was dimly aware of her mother's questions or the shouts she thought she heard...large blurry white dots marred her vision; every time her eyes fluttered closed all she could see was a blinding white light that burned and stung her sensitive pupils.  
  
She felt herself scream in fear and pain when something abnormally large pushed up and outward from the beneath her suddenly pale flesh; Kagome's hands tore at her clothing, then pulling it tight around herself....'S-So hot....! ....s-s-s-so c-cold....m-make it s-stop!!!!' she screamed, her body twisting and turning.  
  
A bright, white flash blinded the worried members in the Higurashi shrine; shielding their eyes in vain the flash of white soon departed, leaving them all in a stunned silence.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi dropped to the ground, her entire body shaking in fear as she glanced at her unconscious daughter then around the room...shattered glass covered the floors and countertops...if one inspected the house from top to bottom, they would find every piece of glass, be it a lightbulb, dish, jar, or window...was shattered into millions of tiny shards that gleamed in the fading sunlight...  
  
She couldn't will herself to move, think, or even speak; for all she could do was stare in scared wonder at the damage her daughter had caused unknowingly...  
  
Sesshoumaru shook the bits of glass from his hair and glanced about, his eyes scanning around the room; taking stock of the situation, all were alive and well; either in shock or unconscious, he released a small breath, Rin and the kitsune were safe.  
  
His golden eyes landed upon the unusually still form of Kagome, how did she do such a thing? Was but one of the many questions that came to mind; her miko powers had surged forth, spilling out of her body to wash over everyone within the Higurashi Shrine.  
  
Strangely only shattering every piece of glass within the house...  
  
But what had surprised him even more was the miko's power; it had welcomed him, healed him in a sense, or cleansed him if put more correctly...It puzzled Sesshoumaru, a miko's power was to kill youkai, not soothe them; but that wasn't all of the baffling things, another was that Kagome had done nothing to trigger such an act of sheer power.  
  
And that, was what truly bothered him.  
  
Was Kagome's power growing?  
  
She was untrained and had no way to release the powers that lay dormant within her doll-like form. Which could mean only one thing; rare though it was, but it happened in some cases of miko's from the past, they'd chosen to ignore their destinies and refuse the gift...but it never went away...never left the shell, so it could only continue to build, grow in vastness until the vessel could bare no more. For when the vessel could hold it no longer it burst forth, creating great catastrophes...the many deep pits and chasms littered around the world were evidence of that.  
  
And if Sesshoumaru was right...Kagome was heading down the same path, but this was no small, ordinary miko...but one of vastly greater power, and it's girth was much larger than any magnitude he had ever before become witness to.  
  
'No good will come of this...' Sesshoumaru thought as he wrapped his tail around Kagome's limp form, bringing her towards him.  
  
Her head lolled to the side a bit, her hair shimmering in the dim rays of light; he lifted his right hand and traced the soft line of her jaw, dragging his clawed fingers down the slope of her nose where his thumb then caressed Kagome's light pink lips... not really taking stock of her present features...more entranced by the light pink lips that seemed to grow redder with each gentle caress of his thumb...  
  
Throwing caution to the winds Sesshoumaru dipped down to press his lips against her own; surprised and worried at how cold they'd gotten. Retreating back to the apathetic mask he then wrapped his fluffy white tail more securely around her body, warming her up a bit as he made the brief journey up the stairs towards Kagome's bedroom.  
  
*  
  
Cold brown eyes studied the romantic lovers with a bored veil-like appearance of unconcern. She turned her face towards the well, as if expecting to see a shock of silver-white hair and the familiar fire-red haori...  
  
But no such sight greeted her cold eyes.  
  
At least she did not have to do anything...yet. So it seemed; but they moved slower than fish out of water.  
  
A pale hand flew up to massage her throbbing temple; she would have much to do should they move any slower.  
  
With almost an impatient sigh Kikyo, the dark priestess turned from the Higurashi shrine and back towards the well; they would be back in a few days, that, she was sure of.  
  
But of her reincarnations powers, she was not. The power was unpredictable and wild, humoring those who thought to seek it before lashing out with deadly accuracy; it seemed to fancy this Kagome and taiyoukai. But why, she knew not.  
  
*  
  
"Rin is scared Shippou!" Rin whimpered, clutching to the kitsune tightly, her big brown eyes filled with unshed tears.  
  
A strange 'whirrrrrrr'ing sound continued to shout it's anger at the two intruders, leaning forward, glaring at them with one large, glowing, yellow- white eye...  
  
"Don't worry, I'll protect you Rin-chan! Count on Shippou the Brave!" Shippou spoke, his chest puffing out, practically oozing with uncontained pride and confidence.  
  
"H-Hai Shippou-sama-" Rin quivered.  
  
"Stay back you mean old youkai or you'll have to use my fox-fire on you!" Shippou growled, brandishing his little flame of 'death' at the strangely malformed demon.  
  
Shippou then threw the fox-fire at the offending youkai; the fire went out with a squelching sound then topled backward, defeated.  
  
"AHAH!" Shippou proclaimed, jumping onto the dead carcass, his chest swelling with triumphant glory at how swiftly and fearlessly killed the youkai beneath him.  
  
"What are you DOING?" Souta balked as he opened the closet room door in Kagome's room, staring at the two questioningly.  
  
"*I* defeated this nastey youkai before it could harm anyone!" Shippou proclaimed proudly.  
  
0.o` Souta just stared at Rin, then Shippou, and then his brown eyes fell onto...  
  
"WHAT did you do to the vacuum cleaner????" Souta gaped, seeing a big, melted hunk of plastic in the center of the vacuum.  
  
"Wha-? I killed the youkai baka." Shippou stated obviously, "What's a VACK U-mmm cleaner?" He wondered, glancing down at the kill he'd made but moments ago.  
  
Souta smacked his forehead, oi.  
  
"Wha-?" Souta broke off, his previous problems forgotten at the sight of Sesshoumaru carrying Kagome into her room; or more like his tail carrying her...  
  
"You didn't feel it?" Sesshoumaru intoned curiosly, turning briefly to glance at the children before returning back to Kagome.  
  
"Feel what Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked, running over to his side, hugging his leg as she leaned forward to glance at Kagome.  
  
They'd been shielded...but by whom?  
  
His gaze turned towards Kagome; it had not been her, for the burst of unrestrained power had been unchanneled and sudden, leaving no one time enough to react. So who had done it?  
  
Had the person known what was to happen?  
  
A growl rose to his lips, how had the person known it would happen? Did he, she, or it intend for this to happen? To wait it out; allowing his Kagome to die before his eyes???  
  
0.0 Sesshoumaru reeled back, his hand flying to his skull, 'his Kagome'? Shaking his head he glanced down at the miko, not surprised by her motionless form save the small, shallow breaths she took.  
  
Golden eyes softened then, the other occupants of the room had swiftly departed, silent as calm wind. His delicately clawed fingers caressed her pale cheek; instantaneously two blue stripes appeared on the side of her face, just beneath his fingertips.  
  
'How...?' Sesshoumaru's thoughts drifted apart, breaking into fragments, crumbling into tiny wisps of sand to disappear into the dark corners of his malicious mind.  
  
He withdrew his hand to further inspect the stripes so similar to his own. They faded away, no longer visible to the human or youkai eye. How very strange that they should appear at his touch then vanish just as easily...unless it had been a fluke.  
  
His curiosity pricked, Sesshoumaru sat himself on the edge of the abnormally soft yet sturdy object that Kagome had called a 'bed'; he then trailed his hands down the side of her face, in reaction the stripes reappeared then faded just as suddenly.  
  
But that was not all that had taken place, for he had been leaning forward enough to inhale her calming, human scent; which had changed slightly, not enough to notice at first sniff, but if one payed attention to the many smells they would be able to detect the very vague smell of female youkai.  
  
How was such a thing possible? A human's body and scent changing to that of a youkai's? With a mere touch? Impossible. He had the misfortune of unintentionally touching skin to skin with a few humans in his time but they had not changed. So why did the miko?  
  
Miko.  
  
The growing power. Was it even possible? One never truly knew the extent to any miko's abilities...but it still left him confused; why was the power reacting to him? Transforming Kagome into a youkai?  
  
-  
  
"HOJO!" Nicca yelled at the smiling boy whom was walking across the street, waving his goodbyes; though what he did not see was the speeding carriage that was swiftly reaching towards him.  
  
Within a flash she had the human male held tightly in her arms as she landed on the top of some tall building Hojo had called a 'Hotel'. Though they were safe from danger she still clutched the befuddled young man against her breast; her heart was raging within her chest.  
  
For once, she was scared, but not for herself.  
  
Nicca didn't like this place, the buildings were too tall and the strange carriages to threatening and too many. She wanted to go home, preferably with Sesshoumaru, but with this new human in her long, immortal life; she was no longer so sure.  
  
Ignoring the suddenly uncomfortable male in her arms she fell into her thoughts. When had she tarted to grow somewhat fond and appreciative of this strange human she now clutched so protectively to her chest?  
  
A small smile graced her lips, when she'd been walking up those unusally perfect steps and spotted that unusual boyish charm she supposed. It had somehow enhanced when Hojo had not only displayed no fear of her, had even complimented her on her skill, and at times too overly oblivious to even notice her anger. But still he had persisted, trying to amuse her with the strange sights he'd thought were works of art and beautiful.  
  
In a way she had begun to care for Hojo...She wondered if he would enjoy spending more time with her...in her own time that is-  
  
'So-' Nicca broke off, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief at the strange sort of irony of the situation; the crystal had mentioned the 'soulbound' mate of hers to whom she was destined, had made a refereance of him being a bit of a pup...'it is strange really...' She trailed off, resting her head upon the young man she had claimed, 'to think that I, Nicca the lover of pain would fall for such a soft whelp of a young man? But how the tables had turned on us!' She thought sharply.  
  
The way of mating was for the males to be dominant and strong, taking care of their mates when needed and beating them into submission at others; but with the two of them, and in her era...she would be the dominant figure, taking care of him. How odd yet fitting; she herself never wished to be taken care of, but rather having taken care of another.  
  
For once she now had the option and privelage to do so.  
  
'When had she finally given up on her cousin?' Nicca thought suddenly, but the soft yet toned flesh that promised a beautiful body within a few years time lay just beneath the strange garments had swayed Nicca's opinions, 'Sesshoumaru would always be the same, beautiful god of cold cruelty, but he will never posess the youth and flesh of a young, innocent and pure man.' Nicca sighed to herself, finally allowing Hojo's words and questions to drift through her ears.  
  
"Nicca-san? Are you alright? Did you catch something? For Kagome-chan is often ill and-" Hojo was cut off by the intense, bright green eyes that stared at him so...heatedly.  
  
"Come." Nicca purred, nuzzling the startled boy's neck as she drifted into the air, her lithe body pressed rather, intimately against Hojo's.  
  
She could have laughed at the fire red blush that graced that young, innocent face; he would grow up to be handsome, strong, and utterly beautiful, a truly golden man of men.  
  
"H-How?" Hojo whispered in shocked awe, "You can fly Nicca-san! How incredibly wonderful!" Hojo beamed happily, grasping onto Nicca's arms to turn himself, facing the streets below, "I've always wanted to fly like this." Hojo admitted, hi eyes closed, reveling in the sensation of flight.  
  
She grinned. She couldn't help it and was glad her future mate could not see it.  
  
He would fly more than he ever hoped, and as often as she was able, "You will fly Hojo-kun," Nicca breathed into his ear, "For you are mine, now and forever as I am yours for now and forever." Nicca spoke the same words her father had uttered to her mother...  
  
Dragging a single claw along the shoulder of Hojo's clothes she split it open, baring the junction between the neck and shoulder, her eyes glazed over a bit, the familiar primitive need surging within her body.  
  
She clutched Hojo tighter, delighted at the surprised gasp and suddenly still form.  
  
Lowering her mouth she kissed the spot she would mark, then sank her teeth into it; a muffled cry of pain and shock drifted faintly to her ears as she began to drag her tongue over the unusually sweet blood.  
  
He couldn't move, he was shocked; first they were flying and then she'd torn his clothes...and then she-! And then she- she-! She was marking him. Hojo's mind suddenly understood, submitting to the dominant figure, allowing the pain to streak through his youthful body.  
  
But how could he know this? Was it some primitive side to all humans? Why was she-? Her next few words silenced his mind and his mouth, the red blood trickling down his bare shoulder to stain his uniform, the pain no more than a dull, constant throb.  
  
"With this mark, I am given." Nicca murmured against his shivering flesh.  
  
The words were irevokable and permanant; one did not take a mating lightly, let alone spit out the words without care. For behind each word, was a thousand meanings and ten times the responsibility.  
  
-  
  
"Riiiiiiiiiiiin~ is boooooooooorrrrrrred~" Rin spoke, drawing out each word to a rather lengthy extent to further prove her point.  
  
"Well then lets play super nintendo!" Souta offered, ushering the two towards his room.  
  
"What's a Super Ninnn-Ten-Doe?" Shippou pondered as Rin and the tiny kit followed Souta down the hall and into his room...  
  
-  
  
'Too many questions...' Sesshoumaru growled as he pressed the palm of his hand against the side of Kagome's face then trailing through her silken ebony hair. He had done this over a million times, still surprised by the reaction to his touch.  
  
He watched studiously as the blue stripes appeared, her skin paling to creamy white that few youkai could ever obtain, the rise of color in her red lips, and then her blacker-than-black hair...it seemed to change from ebony to streaks of raven blue then back again.  
  
It never ceased to intrigue and amaze him.  
  
A ridiculous idea came to him then, one he quickly squashed, 'It's not like I haven't already...' a part of him reasoned, 'for the sake of study and observation...' it added. Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement with himself. She would never know, and he was curious as to what would happen should his lips touch her own.  
  
Pausing briefly, he then bent downward and gave a chaste kiss upon the now ruby red lips.  
  
Pure, unbridled power surged forth, from both his own lips and Kagome's, meshing together to reside and live against and beneath the young miko's flesh.  
  
He drew back sharply to witness the startling transformation; his eyes widened, the liquid gold growing lighter with each passing second as he looked on with amazement.  
  
Blue stripes appeared on the sides of Kagome's face, her ears grew up and ended in a point, the once ebony hair now streaked with raven blue. Her pale and flawless complexion was startling to say the least as was the delicate, tiny white fangs that poked her bottom lip.  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes scanned the rest of her form; her scent seemed to blow away as if a gentle breeze dispelled it's once calming, human scent to be replaced with a pure, angelic one of a female youkai. Her pleasing smell aside, her wrists bore two blue stripes near her wrists while her hands had small, yet lethal claws.  
  
With but one kiss, Kagome the human, was now Kagome the youkai...  
  
A vicious growl emerged from his throat as he gripped Kagome by the shoulders, watching dispassionately and albeit somewhat disappointedly as her youkai features faded away to that of her more child-woman, human ones.  
  
He caught himself bending down, refusing to kiss her again. Instead he settled for leaning back, upright to study her. All intentions to drowning in his recent discoveries...  
  
If a touch of flesh could change bits of her into a momentary youkai, and a kiss on the lips for but a few moments longer...what would happen if he were to...?  
  
Chapter 17: Let Us Go Home  
  
With but one kiss, Kagome the human, was now Kagome the youkai...  
  
A vicious growl emerged from his throat as he gripped Kagome by the shoulders, watching dispassionately and albeit somewhat disappointedly as her youkai features faded away to that of her more child-woman, human ones.  
  
He caught himself bending down, refusing to kiss her again. Instead he settled for leaning back, upright to study her. All intentions to drowning in his recent discoveries...  
  
If a touch of flesh could change bits of her into a momentary youkai, and a kiss on the lips for but a few moments longer...what would happen if he were to...?  
  
-  
  
Kagome came to reality with sharp stabs of pain; not just migraines...but body wracking pins and needles. She'd never been hurt this badly before. . .  
  
She turned this way and that, her body retorting in small pains, her body ached; Kagome whimpered as she raised sweat drenched, shaky hands to grip herself.  
  
It was everywhere, it was like a headache with a nonstop, full-body period cramps... She moaned again...  
  
Sesshoumaru's claws dug into the wood arm of the chair he had sat himself in; he could hear the miko's whimpers of pain and discomfort. It was doing strange things to him, making him feel strange; he clenched the solid wood harder as he observed Kagome's body twist and turn fitfully.  
  
He'd never felt this way before, he'd once delighted and allowed a slip of a smile to grace his features at the sight of someone in pain . . . but now . . . now his body felt . . . alien and abnormal to himself; almost as if he himself was growing out of it, his flesh becoming two sizes too small for him . . .  
  
Why was he reacting this way? He was not injured nor was he displeased so there was no logical reason for him to be feeling or reacting this way.  
  
A thin sheen of glistening sweat caught his eye, turning his head ever so slightly he caught sight of Kagome's shaky arms and face covered with perspiration. She looked deathly pale and dark circles marred her now dull grayish eyes.  
  
His golden eyes widened, his body tensing in reaction; a chunk of wood broke in his grasp. He spared himself a glance at his hand, small chips of splintered tinder were now imbedded in his shaking flesh.  
  
Shaking...? Why...?  
  
Sesshoumaru narrowed his golden eyes at the sickly form of Kagome; it is her fault. *She* was making him react and feel this way! He'd be damned if he would allow it to continue!  
  
"Stop this right now!" Sesshoumaru snarled, grasping her shaking wrist within his hand.  
  
It was icy to the touch.  
  
Kagome rubbed her forehead briefly then glanced up at Sesshoumaru, she'd barely caught his words, she was painfully sore all over.  
  
"Stop what...?" Kagome whispered, using the youkai's arm to pull herself to her feet.  
  
His eyes narrowed even further, practically two miniscule slits that glowed a molten gold; his fluffy white tale twitched in anger . . .  
  
"I warned you bitch, stop it. Right. Now." he snarled, wrenching her wrist painfully, forcing the sickly form of Kagome a few steps closer.  
  
She looked up at him again, wondering how she'd suddenly gotten so far across the room, her wrist was throbbing with unusual pain. But the soreness and constant bouts of pain soon drowned out her questions; turning towards the door Kagome shuffled her feet painfully towards the door; maybe mom would give her something to knock her out for a few hours until she stopped feeling like road kill...  
  
"I SAID STOP IT!" Sesshoumaru practically yelled at her, releasing her wrist to toss her onto the bed; he growled low in warning. The alien feelings within him only seemed to intensify, pricking the backs of his eyes with sharp, needle-like stabs.  
  
Sesshoumaru squeezed his eyes shut, his hand flying to rub his eyes. When he withdrew his hand to open his stinging eyes, everything was blurry, and their was something wet on his hand. . . he felt a strange weight grow in the center of his chest, weighing down upon his shoulders with a great, disspiriting feeling he'd never before experienced.  
  
She was doing it again. And *SHE* wasn't stopping! Even after he'd told her to stop!  
  
"Cease this sorcery right now miko!" Sesshoumaru growled, leaning over her fragile form to grip her throat.  
  
His heart was beating frantically, screeching within his breast to be free . . .  
  
"I said stop!" He spoke angrily, his voice cracking mid-sentence.  
  
What in all seven realms was happening to him? What were these damned sensations?! Why wouldn't they stop??? He was a Lord! Things like this did *NOT* happen to him! Did she not know this?! Did she have no respect for rules at all?!?!  
  
"I can't . . . " Kagome coughed, reaching a hand towards her neck, the other clasping around his shoulder.  
  
That's when he noticed it. He . . . was . . . trembling . . . ?  
  
"Hey Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sa-" Rin broke off, stopping mid-skip to gaze upon the forlorn sight that met her now sad brown eyes.  
  
Shippou soon joined her side, staring up at the two wordlessly. His bright green eyes took in the trembling youkai Lord that carried the most desolate and helpless look in his eyes Shippou'd ever seen; while Kagome lay still and silent beneath him.  
  
"Rin..." Shippou murmured seriously, taking hold of the little girl's arms, steering her towards the door, "We shouldn't be here right now..."  
  
The two children left swiftly and silently, no longer wanting to play at the moment.  
  
-  
  
She admitted the reincarnation was beginning to worry her, for this was only the beginning of what might come should the two not hurry.  
  
Kagome was weak of body, how; the dead priestess knew not. Only that her health was fast failing as her powers grew swiftly; such was not a good sign, and with the lord beginning to experience a multitude of emotions most unpleasant at once; was not the best method to thaw the icy thing that was his heart . . .  
  
Bowing her head down and bringing her hands together in a form of ritualistic prayer; Kikyo's incantations fell from her mouth and into Kagome's mind and body . . .  
  
Hands dropping to her sides then glancing up at a particular window, Kikyo turned from the shrine. This was all she could do for now to keep the reincarnation's heart from failing. Now it was all truly in the fates's hands, and the ones that will influence those around them.  
  
-  
  
Nicca's smile vanished when she set foot upon the strange steps of the Higurashi Shrine. Her cousin was in a grave amount of pain; the very kind she herself knew all too well . . .  
  
"Hojo, stay right her, I shall return shortly." Nicca spoke flatly, streaking up the steps and into the house with amazing speed.  
  
For once she felt pity for the beautiful god she admired, he was shaking and on the verge of sheer desperation and panic. She needed to separate him from the human quickly if he wanted to keep her life and his sanity.  
  
"Sesshoumaru! Cease this idiocy! Back away from the human!" Nicca ordered, taking a challenging step forward.  
  
Sesshoumaru needed to turn to something more familiar for him, something safer than the complex emotions that were threatening to break him. And what the great Lord of the Western Lands was most familiar with; was blood and pain, something she'd for once in her long life, be able to give him.  
  
His head turned jerkily towards Nicca, his golden eyes filled with wildness and emotions he'd yet been able to identify.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Sesshoumaru snapped angrily, rising from the bed to face Nicca.  
  
"Pissing you off cousin, what else does it look like?" Nicca snarled, curving her fingers and lengthening her claws; an act of challenge and defiance.  
  
His lip rose up into a sneer, the returning growl rising in his throat, "You dare...?"  
  
As was his reply to her challenge, a mocking bow was his answer with an obvios smirk on her face.  
  
The challenge was clear, defiance had been made known. Now, was the time to act . . .  
  
Sesshoumaru lunged forth, his own claws lengthened and poised to strike, already filled with his lethal toxins; growls of anger emerged from his throat with promises of pain.  
  
Nicca countered by clawing at his side, shredding the pristine white kimono he constantly adorned.  
  
The scent of blood filled her nostrils, further driving her senses away by the delightfuly scent of spilt lifeblood.  
  
Bringing her bloodied claws to her lips; her tongue darted out to lap at the blood; her senses went wild, her eyes beginning to bleed with a rosy cloud.  
  
The bloodlust was upon her.  
  
Howls of rage imerged from his throat; he ducked low before slashing his claws across Nicca's face, bright red liquid stained his hand. Nicca howled in pain, clutching her shredded face; backing away unconsciously.  
  
Sparing a glance back to the still writhing miko Sesshoumaru made to return to her side; to force her to stop making him feel so strangely torn and weak. He would remove the pain from his heart by removing the bitch from his sights.  
  
Sesshoumaru raised bloodied claws, preparing to strike-  
  
A blood-curdling scream ripped from Kagome's throat as a blinding white flash pierced the air; causing the occupants in the room to shield their eyes in vain.  
  
Power surged forth, pure uncontrolled magic pressed against the walls of the small room; smothering both youkai to near suffication. The magic within the room seemed to thicken until Sesshoumaru could hardly manage a breath let alone move; just being inside such magic was sending shivers down his spine. It's ever-brightening light began to fade, the strange lights surrounding Kagome's form snuffed out like a candles'.  
  
Sesshoumaru lowered the hand, a brief flick of his golden eyes told him Nicca was unconscious . . . and completely healed . . .  
  
Before he could make another move to take the miko's life a growl spilled from his lips as he turned around to glare at the undead flesh of dirt and bones. He took an unconscious step back, his only arm straying towards Kagome in a protective gesture, but a fair warning for others.  
  
Kikyo didn't even acknowledge the clear warning; she knew the youkai before her was capable of destroying the shell she possessed; but not in his current state.  
  
With a dull sigh she raised her hand in a submissive gesture to calm the pink-eyed demon. Her hand was raised no higher than her breast; held outwards, palm facing the youkai lord. Her fingers clung together; each side by side, the pinky and ring finger folded down.  
  
The gesture was lost to many, but the older youkai like Sesshoumaru knew it's meaning.  
  
His eyes narrowed in suspicion, his body coiling like a spring; he waited.  
  
Kikyo closed her eyes to collect her thoughts, it seems she would have to be the one to shatter the silence; she opened her eyes languidly, staring just below the black pupils, precisely at the golden ring surrounding the piercing and loathe-filled, slit-like pupils.  
  
Still holding her hand up Kikyo spoke, "She," the priestess spoke with a small inclination of her head in Kagome's direction, "-is dying."  
  
A growl was her warning.  
  
"You must take her back to our rightful time; and then you must rut with her if you wish to keep the brat's heart beating." Kikyo finished darkly.  
  
Sesshoumaru did not move, the only sign of having heard the dead miko being the very thin sheen of pink glazing over his once pure gold eyes.  
  
"She is also a miko," Kikyo started, she needed to explain it to the emotionally driven youkai lord, "-she has not been able to properly train and use her given powers . . . as you should know . . . the powers of old do not simply fade into nothing with disuse." Kikyo paused to give a meaningful look at the black slits before returning to the safe golden rings.  
  
"They have grown within her, it has no outlet. She will die soon and take many lives with her unless you complete the bond by mating with her." Kikyo gave a small nod to herself, lowering her hand and turning away, "You have little time to decide." was her last parting words as she left the Higurashi's residence to return to her own time.  
  
Sesshoumaru loosened his stance and raised himself up a bit more comfortably once the dead miko had left; he glanced at the now still form of Kagome. So...he needed to lower himself to mate with a female to save her life as well as his own?  
  
What great fuckin' luck he had.  
  
'But then again...' another side of him wagered, 'You can't deny that you haven't thought about doing such a thing before . . .what with all ...the recent . . . t h i n g s . . . that have taken place . . .'  
  
A ghostly grin tugged at his lips.  
  
"RIN!" Sesshoumaru called sharply.  
  
Within a moment, both children dashed into the room, pulling up short of the strangely calm demon lord, "Hai Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin inquired brightly.  
  
"Get your things, we leave now." Sesshoumaru spoke stiffly; turning to grab Kagome around the waist, his tail unwinding to help support her.  
  
"HAI!" Rin chirped in answer, racing down the halls with Shippou to collect their things.  
  
The two youngsters were already balancing on the edge of the well, waiting patiently for the youkai lord to bring Kagome back with them to sengoku jidal.  
  
"Lets waste no more time here," Sesshoumaru growled softly, managing to carry Kagome in his tail while carrying her abnormally large bag in his arm, "The miko's mother will soon wake from her shocked and shaken stupor." he added as the four of them dropped soundlessly down the well.  
  
*  
  
"DAMNIT!" Inuyasha cursed as he tripped over yet another upended tree root.  
  
"WHY THE HELL DO TREES LEAVE THEIR ROOTS THERE ANYWAY?!?!?!?" Inuyasha howled, slashing blindly at anything within reach of his claws.  
  
"Inuyasha-san, i know you are angered by your...illness...but you should at least control your temper...for the villagers sake" Miroku counciled calmly...standing a good twenty feet from the enraged hanyou.  
  
"Illness? ILLNESS?!?! I'M FUCKING BLIND YOU STUPID HOUSHI!" Inuyasha roared, lunging at the source of Miroku's voice; only to smash head first into the monk's staff.  
  
Despite Kikyo's attempted anti-cursing spells and purifying powers; he'd only managed to make out blurry shapes for about a sparse three hours before everything went dark again.  
  
He growled softly from the ground, rubbing his throbbing skull tenderly.  
  
He'd already tried walking around on two legs only to smack into nearly everything and anything, along with tripping over roots, stray rocks, fallen trees, children, woman bent over, tending to their gardens...the list was quite literally endless...  
  
Sniffing the fresh dirt beneath his nose a jumble of scents came to him, quickly singling out a particular smell he frawled on all fours, following the scent.  
  
"Inuyasha....? What are you doing?" Miroku questioned, staring at the hanyou whom was currently sniffing at a spot on the ground intensely before scrambling a few inches ahead to stop again, sniffing even more only to repeat the process once again.  
  
"Kagome," Inuyasha growled, "If I can't see where i'm going I might as well track her," Inuyasha paused, "and if I trip again at least I won't fall very far." he added hastily before scooching up a few more inches.  
  
"Well...good luck Inuyasha-san..." Miroku spoke, turning around, headed back for the village.  
  
A derisive snort was his answer, followed by a series of sneezes and coughing fits.  
  
Miroku stiffled his laughter as best as he could upon glancing at the poor hanyou rubbing vigorously at his nose, coughing and sneezing...  
  
*  
  
"It's good to be back home again!" Shippou commented holding Rin's hand as the two trotted alongside Sesshoumaru.  
  
Sesshoumaru nodded to himself in agreement of Shippou's statement; it was much quieter here, more peaceful, and . . . welcoming. He rolled his eyes then, he'd never once thought he'd ever allowed himself to believe that such a place as this, Inuyasha's Forest, would ever be a welcome sight to his golden eyes.  
  
He summoned enough youki to form a blood-red cloud beneath his and the children's feet, pulling them up into the sky, soaring towards his castle; Sesshoumaru could sense his half-brother scrounging around somewhere on the forest floor, searching for Kagome's scent in his blindness.  
  
Maybe by cripling the upstart pup, then maybe his half-brother would learn something; if the hanyou was lucky then it might mellow him out a bit, make him think before acting on impulse.  
  
He shook his head, Inuyasha's impulsiveness seemed to be the poor idiot's greatest fault...save sheer idiocy and dense-ness concerning females...  
  
Speaking of females...the young woman-child tucked in is tail was already awake, resting, he judged from her lack of movement and reaction to her surroundings.  
  
On a different note...what the corpse had said...he'd need to complete the bond with Kagome soon...to save her life...and others it seems...  
  
Sesshoumaru sighed, since when did he have to play the hero? Wasn't that the mutt's job? To look strong and defiant but completely stupid compared to his loyal lap-dogs and female companion?  
  
Well, Sesshoumaru sniffed, it seems the tables had turned on him once again; he raised his hand to massage his temples; female companion and loyal lap-dogs...?  
  
He snorted.  
  
Well, what did he have in his inventory compared to the hanyou of a half- brother?  
  
Two children, a disgustingly loyal servant, countless servants and gaurdsmen, a huge castle surrounded by a moat that used to have crocodile youkai, until something moved in and ate them....along with anything else that fell in, a dellusionaly insane cousin that wanted to rut with him, a dozen or so other cousins that were plotting against him, an idiotic half- brother, three lords of North, South, and East plotting WITH his cousins against him, and a mouthy miko that he could barely keep his hands off of!  
  
And IF he did complete the bond then he would have to deal with an insane old man armed with an endless supply of sticky pieces of paper, a little monster that still held firm to the belief that HE, Sesshoumaru, was a female, AND the miko's mother whom he never wished to see again!  
  
He should just kill the lot of them right now so they would just leave him alo-!  
  
Sesshoumaru's thoughts were cut off, a constant pulse of heated electricity flooded his body, calming his nerves and coaxing his taut muscles into relaxation. Letting his eyes fall shut he was able to pin down the source of the deliciously calming vibes of heat . . .  
  
They were coming from his tail!  
  
His eyes snapped open, sparing a casual glance behind him, all in the appearance of scanning the surrounding territory; he caught sight of Kagome staring at his tail, as she petted and raked her fingers through the fluffiness of it.  
  
He must have been staring a long time for Kagome's head slowly turned up to meet his eyes, a pink blush gracing her cheeks; but still she did not stop her soothing ministrations.  
  
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, playing on intimidation to get some fear into those overly pretty green-blue eyes...  
  
It wasn't working.  
  
"You'll be sleeping in my chambers tonight wench, so don't even think of allowing the children to crawl into your bed." Sesshoumaru blurted suddenly, snapping his head back to the approaching castle.  
  
-  
  
Kagome blinked, stopping all movements abruptly as shock rippled through her, 'WHAT???'  
  
Chapter 18: To Start Anew  
  
Kagome blinked several times, still completely, and utterly dumbfounded, "I'll be what?" She all but squeeked at him.  
  
Sesshoumaru glanced down at the kitsune and Rin, making sure they were asleep, they were children after all and did not need to know of such things that they were currently speaking of...  
  
"I have had a firm belief your hearing was quite normal for a human, so I do not disbelieve that you haven't heard me correctly." Sesshoumaru spoke calmly.  
  
"I...I didn't..." Kagome spoke slowly, as if not quite comprehending her current predicament, "But...you mean sleeping right? As in like before? Just sleeping? Fully clothed, blankety goodness sleeping right???"  
  
Kagome gave a small 'eep!' as she was moved to face the taiyoukai, "Well," he breathed; pressing his hand against the small of her back, pulling her closer to him until Kagome was pressed against the thin material of his white and red kimono,"I suppose sleep will eventually occur," the corners of his lips tugged upwards.  
  
Her eyes went wide in realization at Sesshoumaru's rather...carefully phrased words...and their hidden meaning; panic set in, Kagome began to struggle in vain to be free of Sesshoumaru, heedless of how very far from the ground she currently was...  
  
The furry appendage wrapped around her waste tightened as did the inuyoukai's arm, "It would be unwise to start early," Sesshoumaru spoke through a faintly strained voice, "Especially in front of the children."  
  
As if to emphasis his comment, he pressed his hips against her own.  
  
Kagome stilled instantly, no question about it...she *had* felt a *something* press rather intimately against her. Though only her body had stilled...but not her mind, her first time...was to be with a youkai...not just any youkai...an inu-taiyoukai! Well she didn't believe many girls could boast that their first was with a great taiyoukai...but- she wanted her first time to be with someone who loved her...and someone she loved in return...someone like Inuyasha...  
  
She laid her head against his chest, uncaring if he were to take it as a sign of submission or even find it disgusting; her suddenly shallow breath managed to slip beneath the folds of his kimono to caress his pale physique like that of a phantom lover,  
  
But no...had she ever really love him? Had she? She didn't know what love was, she couldn't define it like some people could, for all she knew, her definition of love could be catergorized as that of 'puppy love' when a young child or teenager had found the first person they'd taken a fancy to, disillusioning themselves into believing it was the legendary emotion known as love.  
  
Sesshoumaru tilted his head slightly, to glance down at the shimmering form of Kagome; she of course, was oblivious to the state of her body and appearance. Being in such close contact with his youki, her own powers were leaking into him, filling his body with a sense of peaceful contentment; her skin was the moonlit paleness it had been earlier, except now, now it shimmered a soft, pale glow...  
  
So who was she to believe such a thing was existing within her breast and that of her lover to be? Lover to be? Kagome nearly laughed, she no longer knew what she was to Sesshoumaru, or what Sesshoumaru was to her; he'd seen her at her best and worst, he had seen everything of her and so little of him.  
  
Why did he wish to steal something of hers that she would've been so willing to give to Inuyasha if he'd just asked it of her? What was his motivation for it? He surely did not love her, what little compassion his isolated heart had left was that which belonged to Rin, with which he cared for dearly; he was a good father figure to her if he ever cared to find out as much.  
  
"Why?" Kagome asked suddenly, why did he want to share flesh with her? Surely he could not- could he?  
  
"Why my bedding with you? It seems you've been quite unaware of what has been happening of late little ningen." Sesshoumaru murmured, almost kindly, "Your miko powers have grown, they have been neglected for quite some time; and thus, have built up to a point where even with proper training; would prove fatal to both you and those around you." he paused enough to draw breath, "And so, your power needs an outlet, with which to exit safely without harming those and yourself in the immediate vicinity; the task has thereby fallen unto me," godz he hated to admit it, even to himself, he sounded like every inch of the arrogant ass he normally was, "- to bed you before time runs out."  
  
"So...why you? And...why sex?" Kagome spoke softly, pinching the bridge of her nose rather painfully, trying everything and anything to prevent the barrage of tears she felt building beneath her clamped eyelids.  
  
"Why, I, Sesshoumaru; surely you would chose me over the hanyou, and the wolf lord in areas concerning sex? At least I would be gentle and undemanding of such a mortal as yourself" Sesshoumaru spoke obviously, "As for why rutting? Simple, it is the safest and swiftest way to relieve the power within your body by taking it into myself then returning it to you through a transformation."  
  
"T-Transformation...?" Kagome sniffled, she really didn't want to sound pathetic or weak, but she couldn't help it, her first time wasn't for love...or anything romantically sweet...it was to save a bunch of people and herself from being killed! How romantic or cherishing could that be? With a death threat looming above your head as a warning should you not do so?  
  
"Yes, your body will become altered from the process, from my calculations...you will become a youkai." Sesshoumaru stated.  
  
He wanted to kick himself, he was only digging himself deeper like his baka brother had. But he could find no words with which to express to her; he knew not how to give comfort or compassion to one or receive it like another! He had not been taught such things! How was he to act when she trembled with sorrow and with a pain he could not heal?  
  
The silence, for once in his long life, was painful.  
  
"I..." Sesshoumaru started, clutching Kagome to him, his body tensing and slackening as he fought for words with which to soothe her, "I-...I will try..." his jaw clenched, he could think of nothing with which would ease her fears and sorrows!  
  
He took a deep breath then started again, "I will try...to be..." Sesshoumaru paused, struggling with the words that now were his enemy, "-to be...as gentle...as I can." he held his breath, waiting for her reply...or anything signaling she had heard him.  
  
Kagome was...stunned into a rather...soothing silence. He would try to be as gentle as a youkai could possibly be with her...she'd never expected him to say such a thing before. Nor had she ever heard the great Sesshoumaru struggle to find words of which with to comfort her with; words of comfort that were beyond his range of comprehension.  
  
But such was not entirely true, he was learning, albeit slowly with Rin, and doubly so with her...but it was a start...it showed he, Sesshoumaru, cared; that enough, was a strange sort of comfort of what was to happen.  
  
Turning her face up to him, she waited a moment or two until he'd gathered up enough courage to tilt his head downward to face her. Pressing her hands upon his sturdy shoulders, Kagome pushed herself upwards, pressing a feather light kiss upon his lips before sinking back down to rest her head back upon his chest,  
  
"Thank you," came the breath of her thanks before silence once again engulfed them.  
  
A feint, pink tinge colored the lord's cheeks; he swallowed, hard.  
  
Upon landing, he handed Kagome over to one of the female servants, then proceeded to take both Rin and the Kitsune to their sleeping quarters; he had informed Kagome he would join her in his room shortly after he'd finished with a few business matters.  
  
-bing! Check please!..-.- 


	6. chapter 20 chap19 is on mediaminerorg

**********CHAPTER 19 IS ON MEDIAMINER.ORG UNDER THE SAME TITLE NAME*****  
  
Lost Within  
  
Chapter 20: Repercussions of an Act  
  
The glowing blood-red and deep-blue energy began to disipitate at an alarming rate, the only audible sound in the room being the joint panting of both the young woman-child and man.  
  
Both retracted their mouths, pantingly loudly.  
  
Sesshoumaru slumped against Kagome, knowing full-well that his weight could have crushed an ordinary human woman . . . but Kagome was no longer human . . . Kagome was . . . his.  
  
With that thought in mind, ignorant of the pain radiating in his shoulder, he fell into a dreamless sleep . . .  
  
Kagome fell not long after.  
  
*  
  
"YAY!" the young child cheered, dancing aroung the large crystal sphere.  
  
"Young lady, what have I told you about watching the mortals when they are . . . *hugging*?" intoned a large, burly, greek-like man.  
  
"Um..." she trailed off sheepishly. ^.^; "-I forgot...?"  
  
*  
  
"Took them long enough...yeeeuch...I dearly hope Sesshoumaru-sama washes himself thoroughly befor-" Jaken mumbled to himself, thoroughly discusted with the task that he had accomplished, but not altogether displeased.  
  
-  
  
Kagome awoke with a start, her awareness of the present reality came much swifter than usual; she decided not to think on it, but to take a bath . . . she absolutely reeked of salty sweat . . . and . . . sex.  
  
The weight of another warm body seemed to finally catch her attention; without thinking Kagome shoved the body to the side of her; she needed to do two things, get up, and take a frikkin' bath . . .  
  
Her eyes went impossibly wide . . . oh shit . . . it hadn't been a dream . . .  
  
A snarl tore from his lips as he was brought to a rude awakening from an otherwise, *extremely* pleasant night . . . he glared at the offendor and froze; there Kagome stood, long dark hair, shimmering with an ethereal blue tint . . . bright sapphire eyes wild with confusion and bashfulness, the two, dark-blue-nearly black stripes that graced her already exquisite features . . . he felt himself go hard . . .  
  
'Oh no! Oh NO NO NO NO NO!!! Once was enough for me thankyouverymuch!!!' Kagome thought frantically, her now verymuch sensitive nose easily picking up Sesshoumaru's musky arousal . . . not good...sooo not good.  
  
Sesshoumaru made to rise, "No! No- You've done y-your part in 'saving-the-world' garbage, and so have I, so no! No no no! Don't even *think* about it because no!" Kagome snarled not-so-coherently, not sure if she made sense, but the tone in which the words conveyed was sense enough for any idiot in the vicinity.  
  
He managed to look indignant despite his bold-faced erection clear for everyone and anyone to see, "As if I would lower myself to bed with you- a lowly miko." Sesshoumaru snapped arrogantly, pinning his golden eyes to a point in the wall, willing his erection away . . . no such fuckin' luck...  
  
Kagome found it safer not to say anything to that, because she damned well knew the truth about that matter . . . change or topic...wai- oh... Kagome studied the spot where Sesshoumaru now sulked and where she stood, measuring the small distance, if she didn't know better, this seemed a little farther than ten feet . . . was the bond becoming more leniant? Or was it simply fading?  
  
Let's test this out then . . . Kagome took a step back, nothing-no warning tug or sick feeling in the stomach, another few steps, nothing, she turned around and strode brazenly through the front doors of Sesshoumaru's chamber, turning down the hall, walking a good thirty steps-still nude mind you- then-  
  
'Thud!' followed by an undignified grunt and then a finishing growl of mild anger and pain . . . hunh . . . so it had gotten more leniant, at least allowing them to be in seperate qaurters . . .  
  
"Sesshoumaru-" Kagome spoke, addressing the floor in which said Demon Lord was still getting off of, "This bond-thingy has stretched a bit, so we can have our own qaurters, meaning- *I* can sleep in peace without having you paw at me at all hours of the night..." Kagome trailed off, wondering why-in-the-hell she'd suddenly become so ballsy . . . oh well . . .  
  
"I'm going to go take a bath, *alone* and *uninterupted*" Kagome growled warningly at the shell-shocked Lord-of-the-Western-Lands . . ., "Seeya in a few-"  
  
And with that, Kagome turned on her heel and walked back into Sesshoumaru's room and into the adjoining bathroom; Sesshoumaru swiftly entered his room, still in relative shock; Kagome was a youkai alright, in more ways than one . . .  
  
. . . he began to wonder if he should've just left the damned world to be destroyed, it was bad enough to deal with a human Kagome, he wasn't so sure he could deal with a full-blooded youkai one . . . 


	7. The Day Gone, What is Left is to Follow

-yeah...yeah yeah yeah....you've all been patient with me, thanks for not picking up the kerosine and pitchforks....and for *not* duct-taping me to my chair and forcing me to type...I hope you like the chapter later-  
  
Lost Within  
  
Chapter 21: The Day Gone, What is Left is to Follow  
  
"Sesshoumaru-" Kagome spoke, addressing the floor in which said Demon Lord was still getting off of, "This bond-thingy has stretched a bit, so we can have our own qaurters, meaning- *I* can sleep in peace without having you paw at me at all hours of the night..." Kagome trailed off, wondering why-in-the-hell she'd suddenly become so ballsy . . . oh well . . .  
  
"I'm going to go take a bath, *alone* and *uninterupted*" Kagome growled warningly at the shell-shocked Lord-of-the-Western-Lands . . ., "Seeya in a few-"  
  
And with that, Kagome turned on her heel and walked back into Sesshoumaru's room and into the adjoining bathroom; Sesshoumaru swiftly entered his room, still in relative shock; Kagome was a youkai alright, in more ways than one . . .  
  
. . . he began to wonder if he should've just left the damned world to be destroyed, it was bad enough to deal with a human Kagome, he wasn't so sure he could deal with a full-blooded youkai one . . .  
  
-  
  
Sesshoumaru growled, he was wearing a clear and worn-out path in his fine-silken rugs from all this pacing- and it was all HER fault! SHE wasn't speaking to him! SHE wouldn't come within three feet of him - and SHE was avoiding him!- Sesshoumaru! Lord of the fucking Western Lands!  
  
With a distraught howl of rage, Sesshoumaru plucked his solid oak dresser off of the floor and hurled it across the room; breaking into a thousand splinters as it collided with the wall.  
  
Another cry of rage as he picked up the vanity mirror, throwing it across the room, delighting in the sounds of breaking glass...Sesshoumaru was totally oblivious to the dozens of miniscule cuts and gashes along his arm, a particularly ugly cut marring his cheek.  
  
"WHY DO YOU TORMENT ME SO?!?!" Sesshoumaru roared at the room, knocking various vases, papers, books, and important documents off of stray tables that had yet to be broken.  
  
"Do you derive pleasure from my pain as I have done from my enemies?!"  
  
Silken curtains screamed as bloodied claws ripped them to shredded bits and pieces...  
  
"DO YOU ENJOY IT!?"  
  
The sound of glass breaking...only a brief comfort to his ears...  
  
"DO YOU???" Sesshoumaru howled one last time, dropping to his knees in exhaustion; gasping for air.  
  
He leaned forward, resting on his one arm; it gave out, he fell to the floor in a broken heap...the pain he'd been oblivious to had taken its toll... Sesshoumaru rolled onto his back, sprawled out on the floor, vaguely registering the broken fragments of glass and wood digging into his back.  
  
A scent of fresh rain and jasmine filled his nose...what...was SHE doing here now...come to poke fun at the Almighty Demon Lord eh? Go ahead...have your fun bitch...I don't care anymore...  
  
-  
  
Kagome had heard the noises while in the bath, a strong sense of distress and pain had stabbed her heart; she didn't know where it was coming from, but she knew it was in the next room...leaving the refreshing soak from the hot springs; Kagome had quickly dressed in a plain white kimono with the vanilla-colored obi still untied as she rushed to Sesshoumaru's chambers...and what a sight her bright sapphire blue-green eyes had seen...  
  
Silently she stepped between each shard of glass and chunk of wood until she was standing beside Sesshoumaru...  
  
"What's happened here Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked softly, taking in his sweat-covered body...  
  
"Why-" Sesshoumaru breathed deeply, stilling his breath before turning tired, hateful golden eyes on her own, "-Why do you make me feel this way?"  
  
-  
  
~*'Why do you make me feel this way?'*~  
  
"What's wrong Kagome-chan?" Rin questioned a few hours later.  
  
"Huh? Oh- I'm sorry Rin I was just thinking of something..." Someone...  
  
"Well when Rin thinks of something that makes her all sad- I draw lots of pictures and give them flowers!" Rin beamed happily.  
  
"That's such a GIRLY thing to do!" Shippou scoffed, puffing out his chest, "All you do if you get sad is go beat someone up! Like that stupid dog-boy Inuyasha did when-"  
  
Inuyasha...? I haven't thought about him in so long...how can I think of him now when I've done so many things? So many horrible things...I almost hate to admit it...but I miss you yelling at me Inuyasha...it's a sad truth...but it doesn't make it any less true... Kagome thought dismally, no tears pressing against her eyes for the first time in a long time...she was almost grateful for that...almost.  
  
-  
  
I don't know how much longer I can avoid him...it's already been three days since...since it happened....Kagome thought to herself, staring at the many drawings she'd made over that time...all of Sesshoumaru...  
  
What did I make you feel Sesshoumaru? Why can't you just come out and say it? Do you hate me for what you had to do? For what happened that day I ran away from Inuyasha and Kikyo...?   
  
But Sesshoumaru had not been the only thing in her thoughts over the past three days...she had seen her...new self...she had become a youkai...pointed ears and fangs...along with the customary package of heightened awareness, sensitivity, sense of smell, taste, and hearing...a nice deal...but still...it had taken some getting used too...hell- it still is taking some getting used too! She'd just clawed up another kimono! That was the third time today!  
  
But still, she needed to see Inuyasha and the others soon, she hadn't seen her mother in a long time either, and Sota, and Grandpa too...'I wonder whatever happened to Hojo'? Kagome thought absently, a small laugh trickling from her lips at the thought....  
  
-I figured I might as well post this then write more up later- r/r people- 


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